A New Game
by The Faceless Wordsmith
Summary: In the game for the Iron Throne players emerge and are swept from the stage one plot at a time! Naruto isn't interested in the throne in the slightest but that won't stop the game from sweeping up this Maelstrom. He will make his own choices and do what he thinks is right as he has always done. No wolf, lion or dragon will change that. NarutoxEliaxAsharaxRhaella
1. Plot Revealed

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything related to Naruto or Game of Thrones.

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_A New Game_

**Chapter One: Plot Revealed**

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**Year 283 AC**

The position of royalty stood as the single most coveted position in the entire realm. Every man, woman, and child dreamed of obtaining that power at least once, but even with millions of dreamer gunning for it, only a handful of privileged people won that prize. Warming the top seat of man came with danger, but more often than not, the power that came with the Iron Throne won out. People expected the person in the station of King or Queen to take care of the realm. A good King or Queen lived long enough to see the benefit of benevolence because the people adored them. A poor King reaped the consequences of the chaos they created. The perfect example of this came in the form of the current King, Aerys II Targaryen, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men.

Under the shadow of royalty, a never-ending game of maneuvering and intrigue played out. This game found its players in the form of the Lords and Ladies of the Seven Realms. They went about things in different ways, but they all did it for the mere chance of inching themselves and their family toward the Iron Throne in King's Landing. Play nice with those above and exploit those beneath, that is how things went. Take, for example, the Starks in the North and the Baratheon of Storm's End, at one time they were staunch defenders of the King, and now they closed in on the Mad King's tyrannical reign. Not that many outside of the Targaryen name cared in the maniacal Aerys II died.

Of course, any Lord worth his salt had a plethora of knights to enforce their ambition. The skill of man aimed bows and swung swords, which made men as valuable as the lands they fought over. Sadly, a good soldier didn't make for a good man. Most times, knights were the men most capable of the greatest evils. These knights used their Lord's name as a shield to excuse sprees of heinous crimes such as rape, wanton destruction, and murder. More often than not, these dark acts got erased by the false light of bravery bestowed upon these men of action.

Then came the people who suffered the most at the hands of those who should represent them. Common folk created Lords and Kings, they breathed life into every realm from Westeros to Essos, and beyond. Commoners got treated like the mud on the bottom of a shoe simply because they didn't possess the means to compete. They, as a group, were treated like shit, simple as that. What the common folk didn't know and what those above forgot was the importance of the common man. It was these people that made the world turn, despite what the system might tell them.

It didn't matter if it was a King or commoner, a Lord or knight, because, at some point, a person had time to bask in the sun. At least once in the continual stream of time, things fell into place perfectly, which made a person feel on top of the world. Naruto couldn't say the same about his life, unfortunately.

Naruto with no family name, and no real home, stood out as an anomalous existence that didn't belong in this game of thrones, but here he stood. His skills didn't fill the mold of a shining knight. He was a man bathed in blood, an assassin through and through. Yet, at the same time, Naruto didn't truly fit into the order of killers who proclaimed themselves as Faceless. His refusal to comply with their ways didn't stop the group from trying to hunt him down for his services, the tenacious bunch. He might be flattered by the attention, if not for their chosen profession.

Not pure enough to stay in the light, but not absorbed by the darkness, Naruto existed in a strange space in this world. His life made him feel like a loner in a world that brimmed with people of all different shapes and sizes.

His life as an outcast ultimately led to Naruto working to fill the hole in his life. He took on job after job which meant, that occasionally he ended up working for days on end without a break and be none the wiser. Okay, perhaps it wasn't correct for him to label his tasks as jobs. No one paid him to do the things he did. He did as he did because they felt like the right things to do. He was an assassin with morals, something unheard of in a prolific executioner of men.

Naruto's mental rundown froze when a refreshing summer wind swept over one of the narrow passages into Dorne. Perched on top of a craggy outcropping of rock meant nothing hindered the breath of nature from running over his face. He blinked his azure hues several times before realizing he begun to daydream. He shook his head and a look of rolled across his face like a flash of lightning, there one moment and gone the next. 'There's no point in coming out here if I daydream and fumble my chance to get answers.'

He knew he needed something to stop his mind from drifting, and his thoughts focused. The assassin rolled out a scroll that he pulled out of his pocket, letting it sit over the top of his lap. Naruto's eyes examined the words he wrote on the paper. It wasn't hard to be interested in what got written down. 'It looks like Robert Baratheon, Eddard Stark, Jon Arryn, and Holster Tully will meet with the Iron Throne's forces at The Trident. I don't believe that the ten thousand men from the Martells will be enough to stop the Baratheon's fury, but we will see. There will be a clear victor, after all, is said and done at The Trident.'

Rolling that scroll back up, he slipped the tube-like shape back into his pocket where it was secure. Naruto glanced around to see that he still had some time to kill. He produced a second scroll, one different from the first. This scroll had the ongoing details of the happenings at Storm's End, the ancestral home of the Baratheon family. 'The Tyrell blockade has been going on for some time. The Stags are stubborn, but I wonder which one will come first? Starvation or salvation?'

The battle-tested piece of him craved nothing more than the chance to test himself in these momentous battles. He honestly didn't care who won any given fight, but what did interest Naruto were the people fighting them. He'd love the chance to test his mettle against such famous warriors. He already imagined a test of might with Robert and his warhammer. Naruto tasted Eddard Stark's fine sword, _Ice_, as the two clashed in a heated duel for supremacy. Maybe he could find himself in a game of combat prowess with the Dragon Prince himself.

Naruto sensed the blood in his veins pumping up his lust for battle, an unshakable feeling that forced his heart to sing. As much as he desired to test himself against the realm's most celebrated people, he knew that jumping into a bloody war wasn't the way to do it. This sobering reality helped soothed the urge to jump into the battle. 'No matter, there are plenty of opportunities born from war for a man like me.'

His opportunity came in the form of the Lannisters hailing from Casterly Rock in the Westerlands. Tywin Lannister was a man of titles, too many in Naruto's humble opinion; Naruto opted to focus on only one of those many accolades. Tywin was formerly Hand to the King, which meant he _should_ be loyal to Aerys II. That former position of power created an intriguing story to the perceptive assassin watching things unfold.

He remembered the day this whole thing started well. It was just another day of travel on the King's Road, or so he thought. Naruto came upon the most peculiar of whispers a few days out of Highgarden. The whispers told of Lannister force moving toward the south. At first, he discounted this tale as the claim of handmaidens with overactive imaginations, but then he grew restless and decided to investigate the handmaiden whispers.

The assassin discovered some twenty Lannister Lions moving with methodical efficiency toward the narrow pass that emptied into Dornish lands. Had it been any combination other than Lannister and Martell, Naruto would call it a diplomatic meeting between two influential families, but even the deaf have heard about the animosity between the two houses. That tension brought Naruto to where he sat now, and before the slow marching Lannisters no less.

When his keen ears picked up on the drum-like sound of stomping feet, Naruto pulled himself out of his thoughts. He surmised they must have been fifty yards out by now.

Five minutes later, an ensemble of gold plated knights marched into the natural bottleneck of the gorge. Their formation secure in a tightly knit order of five rows of four men. The moving box halted in front of the choke point, and one man stepped out from the formation.

"We have our orders, and as honorable men serving the Shield of Lannisport, we shall not fail in our task! Not one, foul Dorne, be it, man, woman, or child will be allowed further than this point! Do you understand me?" The speaker's helmet reflected the glittering sun that shone down on the man's armor as he looked out at the men who marched with him. Blinded or not, he didn't need his eyes to hear the affirming cries that his unit unleashed in earnest.

"We brave knights will march into these disgusting lands, we will hold here, and we will bring glory to our families by carrying out the will of our Lord, Tywin Lannister!" His cry to action injected a new wave of enthusiasm into the tired warriors. They began to beat the butts of their weapons into their shields, which produced a booming clash of metal throughout the pass.

Falling back into formation with the rest, the man at the lead pointed his blade ahead. The group of golden men began the arduous task of fitting themselves into the narrowing space of the pass. The burning sun didn't make things any easier. As one knight bumped against the other, their feet worked on uneven ground, but there wasn't even a murmur of protest from the men of the Westerlands.

Unknown to any of the twenty men in the group, a pair of sharp, sapphire eyes watched their clumsy trek through the mountainous terrain. Naruto bid his time and exercised patience as his prey continued further into the pass. Space grew more precious as men, sword, and shield crammed into an overflowing expanse.

'There goes the third line. Now I need to wait for the fourth line to follow.' Much like the restraint his body showed, the assassin's mind remained just as calm while he surveyed what played out in front of him. The space between each line varied by several paces, but it was plenty for someone like Naruto to use. He made use of that by falling silently between the fourth and fifth lines of the Lannister formation.

The fourth row of knights didn't hear Naruto's descent, but the fifth row saw Naruto or at least half of them did. While landing in the middle of their line, Naruto's dexterous hands lashed out with the swiftness of the wind. He flourished a pair of black blades across the throats of two men who crumbled like a puppet with its strings cut. The two knights that remained tried to bring up their weapons, but the assassin was too quick on his feet.

When his arms collapsed back to the cloak concealing his body, the black of Naruto's daggers became indistinguishable from his cloak until the moment he threw them. His weapons soared through the air and found a new home in the eye sockets of the remaining two knights. Shock took hold of their trembling forms before they stumbled back against the stone walls on both of Naruto's sides. It wasn't until their screams of agony came out that others looked behind them.

The surviving knights formed a stunned crowd that looked on at the gruesome sight of their kin, jutting blood from their pierced eyes. When the extemporaneous leader of the group pushed through, Naruto finally got the attention he deserved. Where the knights stood gilded in shiny metal, Naruto wore a shadowy cloak that hid everything about him apart from the lustrous blue eyes hidden beneath his hood.

"Assassin! You've decided to turn your blades on Tywin Lannister? Does that mean your kind has aligned itself with House Martell?" The knight didn't sound happy. And why should he be when a fifth of his forces died at the hands of a single person?

Shifting his eyes over the men in front of him, Naruto ultimately landed on the man bold enough to demand something from him. Two black blades appeared in Naruto's hands, re-arming the assassin with the same tools he used to kill four men. "No one orders my blade. I decide who I kill and when I do it. What are a bunch of lions doing treading into the snake pits of Sunspear?"

The leading Lannister bristled at the way Naruto brushed him off. That and how the assassin stood in the blood of his kin pushed the man over the edge. "We don't answer to assassins! The moment you spilled the distinguished blood of a Lannister, you were doomed to hear our roar!" His declaration came with a loud cheer from the men behind him. Four of those men moved forward to have their round with Naruto.

From under the hood, Naruto took a measure of the men that stepped forward to face him. They probably thought they had the advantage, but Naruto only thought them to be foolish. "Then it looks like I will have to turn more of this dirt into mud with the gilded blood of the Westerlands. Come lions, roar at me!"

There wasn't any need for a second invitation. The knights rushed at Naruto with their four roars becoming one sound. Their inability to fan out and surround Naruto stood out as something that the cloaked man could exploit. Naruto remained motionless as the first of the men approached his position. To Naruto, it felt like the man traveled through quicksand to get here. That's how sluggish the man looked in Naruto's eyes.

The first of the knights gave away his plan steps out. In doing so, he allowed Naruto to read his motions and react accordingly. When the Lannister opened himself to swing his weapon, he got caught across the inside of his wrist with the biting edge of Naruto's dagger. He seethed from the pain inflicted on him. That pain made the knight drop his shield in front of the assassin.

Naruto took up the shield in the knight's place. Now that he loaded up with Lannister hardware, he swung his arm out. He slapped the man across the face with the golden lion set on the shield.

With the first foe dropped, Naruto freed himself up to turn both his attention and new shield to the knight that was swinging his sword at him. The kiss of steel on shield came before the grunt of the knight doing his best to force Naruto to his knees. Naruto went down to his knees with no real resistance. From his knees, it became much easier for the assassin to bury his dagger hilt-deep in the man's thigh.

Ravaged by the pain, the knight dropped to _his_ knees while screams of agony clawed out of his throat. Naruto swiftly silenced the man by burying the same blood-stained kunai in the man's exposed throat.

"Die!" Instinct moved Naruto to jump back out of the path of the falling pole strike that tried to cleave him in two. His departure came so suddenly that it made him abandon his kunai in the man's throat, where blood bubbled up from the blade's entry point.

The assassin took note of his feet sinking into mud created by the blood of the first lions he poached as he rose out of his crouch. He didn't let that mud stop him from standing proud in the mess of blood and mud. The crest of the Lannister still on his arm via the shield. Naruto's cloak stood as a thematic contrast to the bright red and gold of the Lannister family. He didn't care for the clash because the shield stood as a tool to be used, nothing more.

Next, Naruto heard the growl of a man that rushed him with a spear at the ready. The blue-eyed slayer attentively parried every stab with the center of his newly won shield. Naruto carefully blocked every stab in a way that left an opening on his left shoulder.

He made that opening purposefully to lull the knight in and strike at him.

It only took a few moments for the fog of the fight to clear before the knight saw Naruto's manufactured opening. He shoved forward to strike at the weak spot he saw in Naruto's guard. He saw the bait do its job and stiffly slammed his shield into the spear. This time when the spear's metal point met the shield, it didn't bounce to the side. The weapon's point fell back with the man using it. The Lannister bannerman got forced backward; Naruto snuck his foot behind the man's ankle, so when he stumbled back, he also fell onto his back.

Bounced around inside of his armor and having his head scrambled inside the helmet, the Lannister knight laid flat on his back. When he looked ready to fight him again, Naruto already stood over him with his blue eyes holding a glacial vibe in them.

Lost to his panic, the warrior in plates tried to clamber toward his discarded weapon, but Naruto didn't allow him to get far. He brought the man a swift end by slamming the pointed base of the shield into the man's throat, which collapsed it. Life left the man in short order.

Naruto looked straight down into the knight's wide, grassy-colored eyes. He could see the fear that swallowed those eyes whole. Naruto felt the desperation in the man, but that didn't hinder the assassin from continuing.

He went to wrench the shield free from when he heard the roar of another enraged lion coming after him, the last knight in the second wave. Naruto ripped the shield out of his latest kill. He bent the shield by standing on one end and pulling up the other end. His frightening show of strength made the shield bend until the color distorted, and the shield snapped.

Twirling the broken chunk of his shield, Naruto minded the jagged edges when he grabbed the makeshift weapon. He steadied his grip on the shield. Then he propelled it forward at the man running toward him. Everyone in the pass saw the weapon coming, but that didn't make it possible for the knight to stop the chunk from shredding through his gut.

"W-What?" The mangled gasp that carried that question was hollow at best. Everyone in the contingent from Casterly Rock would remember that sound, and how their comrade collapsed face first in the dirt. The knight's body kicked up some dust when it fell into its new resting spot, where the body laid unmoving with a sharp chunk of wood sticking out of its lower back.

Naruto stood up, uncaring of the eyes on him after his unreal display of physical prowess. He stood stoic over the body of his sixth kill for an additional moment before he grabbed the dead man's spear. He strolled past the man skewered with his shield. The knight tried his best to crawl towards his people. But as a whole, none of the Lannister looked ready to move.

With no one to help him, there weren't any people there to prevent Naruto from spiking the spear clean through the knight's neck. The spinal cord strike was a positive in that it was a quick and clean way to die, unlike the men that bled out slowly.

In less than ten minutes, a butcher killed eight knights with a limited armory at his disposal. The showing sent ripples through the shaken soldiers that had the misfortune of seeing Naruto work firsthand.

"He's a monster, a blue-eyed monster! He's like one of those damned White Walkers that the crows on the wall rave about when they're drunk!"

"Fuck that! He's worst! That thing is a demon straight from the Stranger!"

That last remark sent an unholy wave of panic through the men of The Seven. With the image of Death attached to the shadowy figure, none of the Lannister had the will to fight. They dropped their weapons, turned tail, and ran for a sanctuary that didn't exist deeper in Dorne.

Lynceil Lannister ripped off his helmet and threw it at the ground in disgust. His golden helmet bounced away from him twice while the man under the armor watched his allies flee in a frenzy of fear. "Get back here, you cowards! Do you hear me? I said get your asses back here and fi-"

His command came to a dead halt when a pair of shuddering blasts shook the entirety of the mountainous pass. The eruptions of explosive power were high enough up the mountain that none of the retreating Lannisters got caught in them. But the explosions did create an avalanche of rocks that fell from the sky like the bastardized version of hail. Screams of fear tore through the battlefield, and all that Lynceil could do was observe. One at a time, his men were snuffed out, their brilliant, golden armors crushed like a flame under the dirt.

When the final scream fell silent beneath the weight of the rockslide, Lynceil fell to his knees in disbelief. That anger that served him earlier replaced with unspent tears that left his green eyes glimmering. "What has happened to us? Are the Gods punishing us?"

Lynceil was a man faithful to two things. He was faithful to his Lord Tywin Lannister, and he was faithful to his belief in The Seven. So when he saw a rain of rocks on one side, and an emissary of death on the other, Lynceil assumed this was the work of something greater. Something or someone was punishing them for an unanswered sin.

"Maybe it was something you did. Or maybe it's because of the plans hatched in your Lord's devious mind?" Naruto knew what caused the rockslide; it was him. That didn't mean he wouldn't take advantage of a religious man's fears. Any exploitable weakness was one worthy of use in the mind of an assassin.

The once brave knight felt his eyes widen. The action itself caused the moisture welled up in his eyes to trickle unimpeded down his cheeks. Like he feared what waited behind him, cause he did, the shaking blonde turned his armored body slowly to look up at the man in the cloak who opposed them.

"Please... please spare me! You've already taken so much! Please allow me to keep this life of mine!" To grovel for any reason was a heinous crime for a Lannister, but Lynceil cared not for his pride. He valued his life more than the entirety of his ego.

Naruto smirked at the shambling man in the golden armor from beneath the dark veil created by the hood of his cloak. "A good way to earn my mercy is to tell me what Lannister men are doing marching into Dorne. I know you two don't see eye to eye, but shouldn't you be more neutral than this? This approach seems much too obvious."

Turning his body so that he sat on his knees facing the assassin's direction, the knight looked at Naruto with no small amount of fear in his eyes. "I don't know anything! I swear on the men that you killed here that I don't know our reason for being here!" Lynceil followed the morbid path of mud and blood at Naruto's feet with his eyes.

Not buying the Lannister's shit for a second, the man under the hood drew another kunai from his sleeve. The small, black weapon came into view right in front of Lynceil, which made him recoil with fear. "Lying to me won't do. I overheard you so proudly telling your men that you knew why you were here. Now I'm going to need you to tell me the details."

If anything, the singsong nature of Naruto's words only made Lynceil's sweaty face pale at a much quicker rate. He was painfully aware that Naruto caught him in a lie. In a furious storm of _I's_ and _Buts_, the disheartened lion tried his best to preserve his shivering skin. At first, Naruto thought the sight of Lynceil on the verge of soiling himself as somewhat amusing, but the novelty of the situation quickly wore off.

Needing the man silent, Naruto settled his cold steel against the man's sweaty skin. He used that fear to create a silence between the two of them. The quiet made Naruto smile. "Sounds like the cat has the lion's tongue. I will only ask you one more time. Why are Lannister men in Dorne?"

The earlier infusion of playfulness that colored what Naruto said was long gone. He dug his weapon into the man's skin deep enough that he opened up a cut above Lynceil's jowls. "Failure to provide me with a satisfactory answer will result in death most painful, _Ser_."

A promise of pain meant one thing, but a decree of death meant something completely different. Lynceil saw up close and personal how masterful Naruto was in the art of massacre. Seeing was believing in this case. The Lannister knight had no doubt the haunting screams of his butchered friends, and the assassin's eyes would frequent his nightmares for a many a moon. "O-Okay, I'll tell you what you want to know!"

Happy to have compliance, Naruto took his weapon away from the shaking man's bleeding skin. His act calmed the man down at least a little, considering that Lynceil was no longer nearly hyperventilating. Lynceil stayed calm until he heard Naruto clearing his throat. Terrified green eyes snapped to the calm blue eyes waiting underneath the hood. "Speak"

"We were ordered to watch the borders of Dorne, and to make sure that none of Lord Doran's men leave their realm! That's all I know!" Lynceil promised his tormentor with a quivering voice and a quaking body ripe with fear.

"Why?"

Any inclination he had to lie got removed quickly with a single movement of the damned black blade in Naruto's hand. "I don't know for sure, but I heard s-some of my superiors whispering about something!"

If there was one way to garner interest, it was to whisper about it. Whispers were only used when important people had something to hide. "What were these people talking about, huh? Keep in mind, if you choose to be short with me, then I will make you regret it."

Did he betray his house, or did he die? That's the question that flowed through the Lannister's head. Lynceil Lannister quickly found an answer to his dilemma. "They spoke of moving eight to ten thousand men from Lannisport to King's Landing! I don't know any more than that, I swear!"

Naruto gathered that Lynceil didn't know any more than what he said thus far. Knowing what he knew didn't mean that Naruto understood why Tywin moved such an impressive force. 'That's too many men to bolster the Kingsguard. If he really wanted to aid the war effort, Tywin should send his men to The Trident.'

It didn't make sense, unless-

'Tywin, you are a crafty bastard.' Any chance at further explanation fell apart when the anxious sound of Lynceil's voice broke the streamline of Naruto's thoughts.

"C-Can I go now?" He didn't believe it possible, but when Naruto went silent, it became painfully clear that he preferred a talking Naruto. A silent death dealer made him feel like any number of gruesome plans were going through the assassin's mind.

The assassin's body showed that there wasn't a spot on him sullied by the blood he spilled thus far. He turned away silently from the petrified man. Jerking his head in the direction the knights came from, he barked an order. "Go!"

Lynceil didn't need or want to hear more than that. He gave Naruto one final look before forcing himself to his feet. The entirety of his golden plates moved as he pushed himself as fast as he could go. His legs hardly went ten steps before a barrage of kunai embedded along the his trembling spine. Dead before he hit the ground, Lynceil never saw the assassin's storm of blades coming.

With a generous amount of blood on every side of him, and a series of bodies both sliced and crushed, Naruto appeared every bit the assassin he trained to be. Going around the battlefield, he plucked the kunai from the bodies he left behind, wiping them clean of any excess blood before he stored them back in his cloak.

"So, Tywin Lannister has decided that the rebellion will win this war, and he is moving to secure Robert's victory. No doubt he intends to win favor with the man likely to become the next King, a shrewd move." The more he thought about it, the sharper the picture in his mind became.

Turning on his heels, Naruto started the long walk to King's Landing, each step moving him away from the massacre he perpetrated. At least none of his blood contributed to the mess he left behind. "I don't really mind that they plan on getting rid of the Mad King, but I have my doubts that the _noble_ lions of Lannister will behave themselves. I can smell the pillage coming."

For all the gold, pride, and sophistication that they boasted about, the men of Casterly Rock were remarkably similar to horse riders that frequented the grass plains of Essos. Peel them down to their basic nature, and the men of Westeros were just as liable to ravage the land with plundering and fire like the _savage_ Dothraki.

**END**


	2. Firebreaker

**Disclaimer: **This one owns nothing, absolutely nothing when it comes to Naruto or the brilliance of Game of Thrones.

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_A New Game_

**Chapter Two: Firebreaker**

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**Year 283 AC**

"This is the legendary King's Landing, eh? The seat of power from which the King of The Andals rules? It smells like a massive sewage pit."

Being Naruto's first and only visit to the supposed illustrious city, he was far from impressed with it at a glance. King's Landing or not, this was a place that left much to be desired in his opinion. When he first picked up on the stench of filth miles back he assumed it was some form of dead animal that was decomposing too close to the main road. But then he got closer to the city on Blackwater and with the proximity came a stronger toxicity that infested the once decent air. There was a moment in time where he thought he'd actually choke on the barely passable air that flooded his lungs.

His first delve into the city happened to coincide with the all-encompassing embrace of the night sky. Stars and the moon dotted an otherwise dark sky, celestial beacons that were omniscient to things unlike the people of the city. It was the stars that saw Naruto scale the wall. It was stars that revealed the blonde haired, whiskered man's infiltration of the city, not the eyes of people.

"If you can get your nose past the smell, this place certainly does live up to the billing when it comes to things like size and structure. I wonder what people do around here for fun when they run out of money to spend on whores and booze?" Naruto was far enough back from the rest of the city that he could see that there wasn't a lot in the way of space for recreational activities- at least not healthy ones. He wasn't particularly qualified to speak on things like poisons or drugs. That wasn't his forte, not in the slightest.

Naruto didn't know how many people called this place their home but based solely on the elaborate, iconic structures that cast a shadow over everything else, Naruto assumed this was a place deserving of being called the world's greatest city. And as of now, there weren't any screams or flames that would indicate the Lannisters pouncing on Aerys II and his Iron Throne. There was a general uproar of sound that droned on constantly from what he assumed was a slum however.

"You'd think that the world's greatest city would be more readily guarded. Then again, I'd also think that the man who calls himself King would have the mental capability to know that burning people alive at the pyres is insane." Naruto paused here and took a moment to pay a glance at the man lying bled dry near his feet. This man wore the Kingsguard white and was the only unfortunate soul to wander close enough to potentially discover the sneaky blonde. "What do you think about our Mad King, friend?"

The masterful assassin waited patiently for a response like any reasonable person would. He remained calm and silent until a gentle whisper of wind whistled along the wall. Like the wind's song was a response, he nodded his head emphatically. "I know what you mean. You'd think someone like Aerys II would slip onto something sharp when there was a man like Rhaegar next in line for succession."

If there had been anyone around who was able to listen in on the young man's playful conversation with the wind then they'd no doubt call him insane- or they'd be amused enough to join in on the conversation. Thankfully such an examination of Naruto's behavior wouldn't be performed at this time and he was free to proceed as he wished. "Well, down I go!"

Settling in a deep crouch, he hopped down off the wall. His figure was lost in the darkness of the night until he landed on the ground. Now that his feet were planted back on solid ground, Naruto swept his gaze around and found his view had been reduced harshly from the one he had on the wall. Ground level or not, he could still see key spots like the Sept but from here on out he'd be working on feel.

He was low enough on the ground that the scent of the city wasn't nearly as overpowering as it was when he was up above the city. Here on the streets, he could smell things like steel and blood rushing for his nostrils. When that was piled onto the existing smells in his nose it was like breathing in a smog that never went away. It was a stench that would take even Naruto time to get used to. "Before I get used to anything I need a place where I can lay low."

A walk through Flea Bottom should have been a cakewalk for someone like Naruto. Yet it took him much longer than one might have expected. His reason for being so delayed was because he needed to dodge all of the requests for money from the poor people in the Bottom. He really wanted to hand out a few gold dragons but he knew that was something he couldn't do. If word got out that some mysterious man showed up and started providing for the poor it would bring too much attention down from the higher ups. For the time being, he needed to sit back and observe how things worked in King's Landing.

Once he was finally through the impoverished area of the city, Naruto was presented with a number of apparent choices as to where he could advance to next.

On one side there were the important sounding roads of Kings, Gold, and Sisters

Then there were the more simple sounding streets which included Flour, Silk, Steel, and Seeds.

Since he was on the hunt for a place to sleep tonight, it made the most sense in Naruto's mind to pick the place that sounded the most comfortable. It was this logic that led him to pick the Silkroad. His was a choice he felt comfortable with as he stepped down his chosen path with a poise that was natural to the young warrior. He wasn't even shaken when he realized that he was surrounded on both sides by columns of...

Brothels

On both sides of the road stood parallel, unbroken lines of brothels or pleasure houses. If he was of lesser experience to these kinds of things then Naruto might have been mortified by his new locale but that wasn't the kind of man that Naruto was. To help him better disregard the sounds leaking out of the buildings he turned to his thoughts. 'Okay, so it turned out that my initial choice was an… interesting one. I should probably turn around and ask for directions this time.'

He was a moment from doing just that when there was an unforeseen weight latching onto his arm. Somehow they had managed to get a solid grasp of his covered arm and were able to press two soft mounds against his bicep. "Hello my Lord~ What has you wandering the streets at this time of night?"

If he was in the middle of a smaller city with a lesser population then Naruto would have at least attempted to wring the woman from his arm. But this wasn't some simple village, this was King's Landing and every action had merit. He needed to play into the contact created by this whore who was looking for a client or else he'd raise poorly timed suspicions. "Hello, I'm just looking for a warm bed that I can spend my night in, nothing too elaborate I'm afraid."

Settling for his most charming look, he made his mouth gently curl into a serviceable smile that was more than enough to make the young woman hanging off his arm blush… but the genuineness of her response was questionable. He also made note that she proceeded to clutch his arm tighter into the shabby blouse that was strained by her average bust. "Allow me to be of service then. You can take me and my bed~"

He was torn between being entertained and irritated by how insistent this woman was on getting into his pants. Instead of being offended as most uptight people would be, Naruto decided to continue on with this song and dance. Naruto did have to give her credit for the quality of her bedroom voice internally. It wasn't working on him now that he knew it was coming but her first whisper paid off in the form of a shudder that traveled the length of his spine.

Trying his best to portray a sense of guilt that he didn't genuinely feel, he favored her with a smile that was a mash of apologetic and disappointed. "That sounds like an exceptional time but I'm afraid that I don't have the means to win your favor."

Naruto assumed that once she understood or at least thought he was poor this woman working her body for a payday would let him go. As it turned out, that's not what happened to the blonde. Instead, the woman with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes seemed to have other designs for him. "Don't worry my Lord, once we retire to my room I will personally strip you down and hunt for your missing fortune."

Caught off guard by the woman's reply, he was incapable of forming a proper response. Nor was he able to react in time to prevent the woman from literally hauling him into the nearest brothel. From the glimpse he snuck of the building before being pulled into the house of ecstasy, this building was known as _The Moaning Minstrel_.

Naruto wasn't certain of what to expect from a den of depravity like this so when he wasn't blasted with the reek of sex it was a good enough reason for him to be pleased. However the air was dense with the different spirits being served but that was fine by Naruto.

The dirty blonde around Naruto's age mistook his attention to the building as something else which is why she stepped in to hopefully recover his attention. "There's no reason to worry handsome, the night is winding down. I guarantee no one will interrupt your _rest_."

"Before that let's swing by the bar and grab a few drinks, yeah?" It wasn't his typical way of spending his time and money but it was the closest thing he was able to latch on to as a distraction. He was glad to see it worked when the employee of the lust house took the bait and guided him across the floor to the bar.

"Moments ago you were without coin, now you wish to buy drinks? You wouldn't be lying to me, would you, my Lord?" The young woman chimed in with a hum. Her fingers were busied with the task of fiddling with the clasp that kept Naruto's cloak closed as she looked to Naruto for his answer.

"Maybe I wanted a few drinks in you so that you'd be more agreeable to taking a few more of your sisters in sin to bed with us? Can you blame me for that?" If being poor didn't deter her then Naruto counted on the implication that she wasn't good enough for him to do the job. He wasn't serious about the desire to have a personal orgy but if he needed to sound pretentious to get what he wanted then so be it. Words were like weapons, they were only tools for him to employ in ways that earned results.

And curses were words that he chose to bite back when the woman with him flashed a sly smile in his direction. It was pretty obvious that she wasn't against the idea like he counted on her being. "Is that what you desire, my Lord? All you had to do was request more~ I have a few friends that would love to-"

"Shivone dear, would you be a beauty and go help Lei with tonight's recovery? It has been quite the evening."

The new voice to the conversation had a breathy tone that was right at home here on the Street of Silk. The newcomer immediately grasped Naruto and Shivone's attention with their voice alone. Walking towards them was a woman not short on glamour. Her skin didn't have a blemish in sight and her body was a matured one that was only accentuated by a fine, green dress that showed the right amount of skin to be respectable while at the same time tempting those who gazed upon her figure. Her coffee-colored hair fell straight down like a curtain of silk and her green eyes shined like emeralds as they kept centered on Naruto as he studied her in turn.

Unlike Naruto, Shivone knew what this woman's presence meant. It was the reason that she wore a pout as she bowed her head in respect to this newcomer. "As you wish Mistress Marjolaine," The worker sent one more glance at Naruto to find him still gazing at her Mistress as she was forced to walk off.

Naruto would have wandered off too if not for the fact that this new woman seemed bent on speaking to him about who knew what. When Marjolaine finally stopped it was at a respectful distance from him but not far enough to prevent Naruto from smelling the rich aroma lingering on her. Unsure what he should do, Naruto merely offered her a smile that concealed his uncertainty.

His smile was an unintentional signal that motioned Marjolaine to counter with a smile all her own. Hers was a smile that was beautiful and rehearsed. It was a smile that any experienced woman in this field had mastered with a given amount of time. "I see that one of my girls pulled you into our home, Ser."

The blonde subtly checked behind him to verify no one was standing there as he inclined backwards against the lip of the bar that stabilized him eventually. "That she did, she mistook me requiring a bed for something else. Please call me Naruto by the way. I'm no knight."

Bringing up one of her finely manicured hands, the Mistress of the house placed her hand tenderly against her cheek. "Forgive me Naruto, I thought someone with your natural grace must be a knight, a young and handsome one no less~"

When Shivone acted like this he was able to be open with his responses. It was a different story when it came from this woman, because Naruto understood that he needed to be cautious around her. There wasn't any doubt that Marjolaine was more than capable of utilizing her body and her wiles to wring information out of men and women alike.

If she could see the grace of a fighter in him from the seven steps that he took, then what else could she figure out given enough time? "No offense taken Lady Marjolaine, it was a simple misunderstanding. Now if you'll excuse me, I really need to find a place to retire for the night."

Naruto ached to move on, to whisk past her and disregard this whole encounter. He was denied the chance to do so when Marjolaine laid her hand on his chest. Placated for the moment, he peered down to her hand before he gazed into the woman's eyes which were just slightly beneath his blue ones. "How about one of the beds here at the Moaning Minstrel, Naruto?"

"Your girls are very beautiful but I'm really only looking for _just_ a bed tonight." He carefully crafted his reply so that he didn't offend the woman who operated the brothel accidentally. It was something he'd done plenty of times in the past with his blunt personality.

Marjolaine took advantage of having a point of contact with Naruto by moving into him so that her ample chest pressed tightly against him. Her elegant hair caressed Naruto's skin as her head moved. She whispered a few words dipped in honey to Naruto. "I wasn't talking about them Naruto. I was talking about my bed~"

Naruto wanted to resist her in the same way he resisted the previous woman's beauty but it was only getting more difficult for the young man to fight against his hormones. One attempt at a time his resistances were being worn down. Her breasts would push against his chest with each breath and her tempting words tickled against his ears each time her mouth opened. "I… I don't think that I can afford or keep up with your level of companionship, but I want to thank you for making me such a generous offer."

Giggling softly at the naivety in the whiskered man's words, her lips nibbled ever so subtly on his ear. Hers was an action that made Naruto's spine stiffen. "There are more ways to pay a debt than with gold. You know that Naruto, right?"

Her insistence that she wasn't looking for the finance of gold or credit genuinely caught Naruto flat-footed. He was surprised enough that not even his quick wit could spare him from the beautiful woman who wasn't keen on hearing the answer of no from him. "I…"

"That settles it! Follow me Naruto, I'll show you to your bed." Only when he was literally dragged behind Marjolaine did Naruto realize that the previously active foyer was now void of everyone but he and Marjolaine. He looked at the woman in a new light, a glance that included the sway of her hips. He was fairly confident that she was the reason the building was cleared out so suddenly.

The blonde assassin was guided past a red silk sheet and along a pair of stairs by the Mistress of the establishment. She didn't say a word and she didn't need to because they arrived at their destination in short order. It was a massive space more than it was a room. The floor layout hinted at this being an entire floor that had its walls knocked down. There were sets of furniture placed strategically in the room which included a sizable bed, a sturdy desk, and white couches which all sat on deep crimson carpeting. A final glimpse exposed a washroom entrance set across from a wall lined with drinks on the opposite end of the room.

Naruto's cerulean pools ceased their inspection when his hostess released his hand. She swayed a few steps further from Naruto before she spun around gracefully to face her guest. She wore a devastatingly sinful smile that fanned something carnal in Naruto. "Is there anything I might do for you, Master?"

Her sultry purr was already fuel enough for his lust but add in the fact that she played the role of servitude and Naruto was enthralled. Her emphasizing that she had a mouth-watering, mature figure that any man would want to put his hands on caused Naruto to forget any plans of opposition he might have had previously. All he could do was stare in very attentive silence.

Marjolaine savored the blonde's silence in the same way she'd soak in the sounds of a compliment. With a smirk that'd put a temptress to shame, she nibbled on the edge of her finger while her green eyes followed over his obscured body. "Then allow me to start our night together~"

First, she shifted the left strap of her dress off her shoulder. The verdant gown that she called a dress dipped on that side which exposed a decent portion of her creamy body to Naruto's hungry gaze. The right strap came off just as swiftly and the dress crumbled into a pool of forgotten fabric that swirled around Marjolaine's ankles.

"Do you find me to your liking, Master?" Her seductive query came with the very powerful visual distraction of her hands running along her toned stomach. Those hands continued to wander upwards until her fingers were digging ever so slightly into her pair of lavish breasts. Her groping touch showed just how easily her breasts were to shape with a bit of pressure. "Ah!"

His blue eyes were overcome with a covetous haze as they greedily clung to the naked state of Marjolaine's body. He started with her endless legs that went on just long enough to feed into a pair of thighs that were closed only enough to hide her core from him. He saw her hips and how perfect they were for clutching, an idea that left Naruto's fingers twitching as he leered along her toned stomach to where her breasts were still being teased by her nimble fingers.

"Come to me Marjolaine."

The feather soft, slightly staggered moans coming from the Minstrel's Mistress stopped when she caught Naruto's call for her. Beaming, she dropped her hands and began to rub her thighs together at the smoldering look she was receiving from an aroused Naruto. Dark nipples standing proudly on a bed of pale skin, she licked her lips one final time before she slowly stepped forth. "Yes Ser~"

* * *

_Next Morning_

Naruto surprised himself with what he'd done last night. Not only had he fallen to the temptation of a naked Marjolaine but he also indulged in that pleasure for far longer than he expected. Part of him wondered how many hours he spent driving the moans out of Marjolaine's naked, sweaty body.

'From now on I'll be better aware of the dangers that come with beautiful women.' He was just thankful that their encounter was for the mutual enjoyment of another's body and nothing more.

He knew it was healthier for him to squash that line of thought before it got the better of him again, like it did last night. He promptly shook his head in a vigorous attempt to ward off any lingering ideas on that subject. Walking over to a nearby cart, Naruto took a piece of fruit which he then paid for with a piece of gold. As he tore into the fruit with his sharp teeth he also made sure to keep an ear out for anything interesting in the words of the common folk around him.

There was talk about how prices were inflated, how families were faring, and of course, there was a lot of talk regarding the war. Naruto was able to listen in on such conversations much easier because he no longer had his traveling cloak on his person. With his cloak left back at the Moaning Minstrel, he was able to blend in with the peoples of King's Landing without drawing a second glance.

What was ordinarily underneath his cloak was left out to be viewed. What he wore now was a finished set of black leathers. They provided Naruto with the ideal combination of protection and fluidity. As a fighter trained to be on his toes and think with his instinct, the leather armor he wore was perfect. Just like how the silver buckles were perfect to keep the straps on his shoulders and looped around his sides fastened tight. It was a shame that the weather of Westeros required more fabric than Essos.

Naruto's rundown on what he wore was stopped by a series of hoarse whispers. Anyone else would have missed the sound but Naruto's ears seemed to be drawn to it.

"Hey, have you heard what happened at the gate?"

"No I haven't, what are you going on about this time?"

"It's the main gate, the Kingsguard has blocked the main gate and when they were doing it they found a body on the wall!"

"Really? Well fuck… you don't think that one of Robert Baratheon's men got in do you? It's about time someone finally kills that maniac-"

"Shut the fuck up! You keep talking like that and you'll get us both burnt at the pyre with that damned Pyromancer's Piss!"

From there the conversation devolved into a mess of paranoia, a symptom of having a rabid king who only trusted Wildfire in power. Naruto ignored the speculation of the body because that was his doing. So alternatively he focused on the idea of the city being put under lockdown. 'This turn of events can be taken one of two ways from the way I see it. One, Aerys II thinks there is a spy in his city and has acted accordingly. I doubt it because them finding the man I left feels more like a coincidence than anything else.'

The other option that came to mind was enough to make the assassin sigh outwardly because of its implications. "Or he knows that the Prince has fallen, The Trident is lost and this is the King's best attempt at a last stand. It's harder to conquer a shutoff city than it is one with its doors wide open after all."

Either way the story went, to borrow a line from the Targaryens, what came next would be something bathed in Fire and Blood. He didn't wish that kind of fate on the innocent people of King's Landing. It was the variety of situation that someone like him excelled in, but ordinary people not so much.

There wasn't a shred of uncertainty in Naruto's mind that King's Landing was in sore need of a new King or Queen, not only for themselves but for all of Westeros. The kingdom simply couldn't stand the weight of fear and chaos that infected the world as it was now. Perhaps it could have survived years ago but as time went so did Aerys II's mind leaving them with the mayhem they had on their hands now.

"Stop right there!" Normally Naruto was an attentive man but he was so occupied in his thoughts that he failed to notice that someone was shadowing him through his aimless wandering. Thanks to this failure of recognition, he found himself cornered in some alley that was deserted apart from himself and the man barking after him. "I wasn't aware that father was sending someone ahead of time. Turn around so I can see your face."

Now confusion joined in with his annoyance. Naruto turned himself around gradually and he spotted a man waiting for him. This man had golden hair like himself and green eyes. There was a brief expanding from his eyes that told Naruto whoever this was assumed he was someone else up till now. Naruto tipped his head to the side and did his best to keep the awkwardness from leaking out of his throat and into his words. "Do I know you?"

Like someone thawed out of ice, the green-eyed man suddenly gained the ability to move and used it to cough into a hand that was balled up over his mouth. The young man had a head of slightly skewed hair and a clean-shaven face which made his embarrassment even more obvious in Naruto's eyes. "I'm sorry, I mistook you for someone from my house."

"No worries my man, I've been mistaken more times than I remember and I'm sure this won't be the last time it happens to me." Naruto gave the man a friendly smile that folded his eyes and pushed up the whisker marks ingrained across his cheeks. "So what's your name?"

Slightly surprised that the man across from him wasn't offended, the emerald-eyed blonde offered Naruto a brief smile because that's what his etiquette lessons told him to do. "My name's Jaime Lannister." He made certain his back was upright and his chin was pressing high as he announced himself just like his father drilled into him from a very young age.

Naruto's blue eyes concealed the recognition that came with learning Jaime's family name. His mentioning that his father was sending people also verified what he learned back in Dorne. It also verified that Jaime knew something was going to occur. What Jaime didn't know was that Naruto knew these things as well, and that's where Naruto had his advantage. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Jaime. I'm Naruto. Say, is that the Kingsguard cloak?"

"It is, I'm a proud White Sword of King Aerys II, King of The Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men."

Even Jaime's best act wasn't enough to dupe Naruto… or anyone smart enough to read a person's countenance for that matter. The blonde with blue eyes could see the fib surface in Jaime's green eyes. Naruto didn't know how important if at all Jaime was in King's Landing… but he didn't need to be aware of any more than what he was seeing to know this man held no love for the King, his King. "Do you mind if I ask you a question, from one man to another?"

The royal knight extended one of his eyebrows before he went on to tell Naruto to ask his question. So Naruto did just that, "Why do you serve that mad man who calls himself the King? He's bringing the Seven Realms to ruin one day at a time. Everyone can see it and I know you can see it as well."

Naruto's question was a treasonous one, of that there was no doubt. Instead of apprehending Naruto as he should have Jaime sighed tiredly. In the time it took to blink, the young man looked like a tired soldier twice his actual age. Moving his hands away from his golden armor, Jaime placed his hand against the side of his temple and gave Naruto a strained look that was dripping with discontent. "This will stay between us?"

Naruto didn't have an interest or any intention in speaking to anyone about anything he knew regarding the storm that was to come so it was with a clean conscious that he was able to nod his head.

Jaime looked over his shoulder. It was something that Naruto witnessed a lot of people doing in this breeding ground for fear that was called a city. When Jaime looked back at Naruto his face finally fell into a genuinely made frown. "I do it because I gave my word to serve the King. It's a choice I regret every morning that I wake."

Now it made sense, it was the life of duty that drove Jaime to do the things he did, even though it was a lifestyle that made him miserable. It was a type of life that Naruto knew all too well. It was empathy that controlled Naruto and it was empathy which made the respect he had for Jaime elevate to new levels. "A person's word should be as valuable as gold. I can respect wanting to abide by yours."

The two of them weren't friends or even acquaintances, however when Naruto openly stated he too valued the importance of an oath it felt like a weight was pulled off Jaime's shoulders. "You and I might be the only two people in all of King's Landing who think so, Naruto."

"You know what they say about great minds!" Naruto's subsequent smirk and nonchalant shrug made a chuckle fester in Jaime before it left him alongside his tension. There was no disputing the conversation hit a lull so Naruto figured it was time to finish it. He reached out and offered his hand to Jamie. "I won't hold you back from doing your knightly duties. It was nice to meet you, Jaime."

The Kingsguard grasped Naruto's hand and gave it a firm shake. The motion of respect caused his white cloak to flutter which drew Jaime's attention down to the leather armor that Naruto wore. It was a piece of the blonde lost in the confusion of mistaken identity, one that Jaime only just recognized he'd been staring at all along. "You wouldn't happen to be a fighter, would you Naruto?"

Laughing along with the shaking of hands, Naruto shook his head no. "If that's what you call a man who learned self-defense to protect himself growing up in Essos?" Naruto's lie came smoothly through the spaces of his teeth, and what an excellent lie it was. There wasn't any hitch or pause and his tan complexion easily fit someone who had the blood of Essos in them. Naruto also figured that Jaime wouldn't be pleased if he knew that twenty of his kin were killed sometime before this conversation of theirs.

"I see… a piece of advice for you then, be careful in this nest of vipers. The coming days for King's Landing will be dangerous for us all."

* * *

_A Week Later- Red Keep_

The Red Keep was constructed to surpass and succeed Aegonfort as the place of power in Westeros. It was and remained to be a magnificent stonework creation that loomed ever vigilant from its place on the southeast corner of King's Landing. It cast a shadow that not only spread over the city but the Blackwater Bay and Narrow Sea too. It was a reminder to all of Westeros where Aegon The Conqueror first landed when he made the maiden voyage from Dragonstone.

The Keep's red brick dominated the skyline and that's precisely what King Aegon dreamed of when he had it built. He wanted people to look up at his great castle and be reminded of the fires that delivered them to heel, the flames from his trio of dragons. When he was King there was no deviating from his plan, he was a ruler that was absolute.

A far cry from how things were now.

It was inside of the Great Hall in this castle fortress where King Aerys II sat with his small council. They were in the midst of an animated discussion pertaining to what they should do as the world collapsed around them, something that would have never happened during Aegon the Conqueror's kingship. Like most discussions, there were two opinions being argued and no one listening to the point that wasn't theirs.

"Who does that fool Baratheon think he is? Does he think he'll get away with killing my son and marching on _my_ city?" The gravel in the man's voice made it crackle as the King all but screamed from his spot on the Iron Throne. "He will pay with his blood!"

A stocky man with a beard fully wrapped around his jaw nodded his head to show that he concurred with the King. Before he said why he agreed with Aerys II, the man gestured to the window on the left side of the Great Hall. "All the more reason to allow Lord Tywin Lannister and his men into the city, my King! With their number we can crush the usurper's forces!" Grand Maester Pycelle said with a nervous twitch that made the multi-link necklace on his chest rattle.

This was when a bald man on the King's left side pushed his way into the conversation, his voice bringing forth his thoughts on the matter. While the King's descent into insanity was undeniable he still held a duty to advise him from foolish actions like what Pycelle suggested, and that's exactly what Varys would do. "My liege, you mustn't open the doors of King's Landing to Tywin Lannister! He's here to take the city from you, the throne! Why else would he be here in the flesh? Why not send a raven to tell us of his arrival?"

It went unnoticed by the King because he was sitting back in the throne with his eyes closed, but Jaime offered his agreement with Varys' reasoning in the form of nodding his head. The grim look on his face told a clear story that he was of the same mind as the Master of Whispers.

"Now is not the time for wild speculation Lord Varys! Lord Tywin served honorably as the Hand until our King decided to move forward with Lord Rossart! He can be trusted! With the men under the Lannister banner we can finally end this rebellion and solidify the King's reign!" Pycelle argued back so vehemently that it was actually enough to make his cheeks color with exertion.

This was an argument that would've continued if not for the King who shouted a demand for silence. "Silence! This is no time for your damned bitching!" Aerys II had a balding head but the few scraggly survivors that remained were gray and greasy like a majority of his poorly kept body. Turning his rabid gaze to his Hand, Aerys II made the silent gesture for the Wisdom to speak his mind.

Lord Hand Rossart, a Wisdom from the Alchemist's Guild was a brilliant scientific mind that was behind the invention of a volatile mixture that rivaled the power of the dragons of old. Wildfire, it was the tool that gave Aerys II the power to reign through fear for as long as he did. It was also the creation of Wildfire that won Rossart the position of Hand away from Tywin Lannister. "Tywin is a schemer… but _we_ can use his men for our own purposes~"

The ugly man's sinister smile and desire to burn found a resonating home on the face of the Mad King. Lifting his gangly, pale hand from the arm of his Iron Throne, the sixteenth monarch made of incest pointed at one of the three guards -not including Jaime- that stood at the peripheral of the room. "You! Bring word that the gates to the city are to be opened!"

But he wasn't done yet, not by a long shot. The crazed King began to squeeze the other arm of his royal chair so tightly that his long, yellow nails chipped under the pressure he exerted.

No one, not Jaime, Varys or Pycelle said a word as Aerys II started to laugh so hard that his laughter actually caused him to wheeze. "The fool will march right to his timely death, a traitor's death in the flames! Rossart go light the Wildfire caches beneath the city! King's Landing will perish in a world of fire but I will return as a dragon made of Wildfire to claim what is mine!" Yes, it was finally time for him to show Tywin Lannister who was truly the most powerful man in Westeros, that damned lion.

Rossart being just as mentally touched as the King saw no problem with the order and bowed his head before he left the throne room to carry out The Plot. Everyone else who had half a mind was frozen by the implications of what a Wildfire bath meant for the city. Half a million people dead, that's what Aerys II and Rossart's plan meant.

'He's going to kill us all!'

'He thinks he can become a dragon?'

'I need to get out of here!'

Those were the thoughts of Jaime, Varys, and Pycelle but only one of them knew they could do something to spare the skins of everyone in the Landing. Jaime reached for the sword sheathed on his hip. His fingers were ready to curl around the hilt when he was stopped short by the King calling on him.

"Boy! You are to bring me your father's head! I have let that traitor plot against me for far too long! I want to see his head brought to me before I am reborn in the beautiful fire!" This was to be his last act before ascending to the skies as a dragon and what a fitting accomplishment it would be.

Jaime desperately wanted to hold to his word and be a loyal member of the Kingsguard. It was his reason for trying to keep the Lannister men out of the city. Yet the climate of the situation demanded that he make a choice, and make it quickly. Should he hold onto his word and sword or should he stop the Mad King from slaughtering 500,000 people?

It wasn't much of a choice to make. Jaime's hand quickly unleashed the blade on his hip which sang upon being released. He pointed his sword at the King, directing it above the two knights who rushed to stand between him and the King of the Seven Realms. Climbing to his feet, Aerys II glared hatefully at his traitorous guard. "I knew it! I knew you were a piece of traitorous spawn like your father! Kill him, kill him now!"

'I have to kill these maniacs fast or else Rossart will turn everything and everyone to ash!' With no time left to think, Jaime fell back onto his training and lunged at the two knights separating him and the mad monarch.

* * *

_Beneath the Black Cells_

The Black Cells existed as the prison ward that lived beneath the Keep to restrain criminals until they were ready to be judged. Admittedly these days there weren't many prisoners in the Cells because Aerys II preferred to see his enemies executed in a soak of Wildfire where he could watch them burn personally.

A shortage of traffic or no, the design of the Cells was as such that the only thing there was to have in abundance was the moisture on the sleek, molding stones. Every cell that spanned this level was cramped together and deep enough in that only the bar-fenced fronts of the cells got any real light from the torches flanking the stairs. There were also torches across from each cell however they were left unlit purposefully so as to mock the people in the cells... when they were there at least.

But there was one layer beneath that, a fourth level.

The fourth level of the Red Keep was so rarely seen or spoken of that many people in the city believed that its existence was not real. They thought it to be a myth meant to instill fear in those that might be tempted to go against the reigning King. This was far from the truth. The fourth level was very much real and its paths were being illuminated one slow-burning torch at a time.

Built deep within the ground where no natural light could hope to penetrate even the torches seemed to be smothered. Their light extended only far enough to reach the next torch but not any further. From a holistic view, it looked like a series of stepping stones made of light that were primed to fade back into the darkness at a moment's notice. The smell of blood was prominent down here but it didn't stop Rossart from marching forward with a deranged smile etched into his face.

Rossart felt right at home in the stagnant darkness of these corridors. His comfort took to his mouth which felt free to babble out the thoughts that passed through that devious brain of his. "The time has finally come! My brilliance will finally be brought to the world stage! The people will know of this day for ages to come, the day where Wildfire purged the world's largest city and killed a King! They will know it was the genius of Rossart who created this new level of destructive genius!"

He strolled past chambers with bloodied stretching tables and clogged flogging tools and he did so while inhaling the stench of stale blood. His upturned smile gave way to an excited giggle that mingled with the soft sound of his feet hitting the ground. He finally saw exactly what he was looking for. He was studying a bright light that leaked from beneath a sealed door.

"Don't worry my children, you'll have your time to shine very soon~" The man cooed at the musky wooden door that he had to unlock one rusted-over padlock at a time. Every turn brought him closer because they dropped a web of chains that hit the ground with a shattering rattle. It was a sound that was nearly orgasmic to the man who practically felt the heat waiting for him on the other side of the door.

"Come to father my children!" The only noise left to compete with his sickening exclamation of glee was the long and creaking sound of the door's ancient hinges coming to life with activity created by Rossart's short, stubby fingers which ushered the door open.

Once the worn slab of wood finally crept open a light that would have blinded most burst forth and welcomed the smiling Rossart. He didn't attempt to shield his eyes or even look away. He stared straight into the embrace of light, mesmerized by the brilliance he perceived within it. He stepped to the closest barrel and picked up one of the numerous Wildfire containers waiting there. "I'm here my children. There's no reason to cry any longer, father is here."

Running his fingers against the smooth surface that contained the green liquid that he could ignite into true Wildfire, Rossart shuddered against the feeling of heat that emanated through the thick glass in his hands. "It's finally time for you to attain your full potential. Your futures will be so bright that they rewrite history."

Rossart brought his hand out of his robes but when he did so it was not with a primer in hand. He was clutching a gnarled dagger that he then spun around and used to stab at the person who was foolish enough to pursue him below the Keep. The alchemist's eyes widened when instead of dying with a dagger in the throat, the person in the shadows took the dagger to his hand with the slightest of grunts.

"I'm actually surprised that you sensed me." An intrigued Naruto said as if he hadn't just been stabbed in the hand by a dagger that caused blood to flow openly from his palm. It by no means felt nice but showing pain wasn't something he was trained to do. The pain was a weakness and weakness was exploitable.

With a snarl on his face, Rossart held onto a pair of eyes that glimmered spitefully in the light that was generated by the Wildfire caches littered about the storeroom. "My children told me you were coming." What he meant by this was that Naruto's shadow had taken some of the Wildfire light and that's what alerted the Wisdom to the assassin's presence behind him.

"Those aren't children, not by a long shot. At best they are abominations that know no mercy." The whiskered blonde remarked with a definite frown on his face. It should have been obvious since it was this brain that made Wildfire but to hear how deep the insanity ran first hand caused Naruto to be overcome with unease. He wasn't tense because he was afraid of Rossart physically. He was tense because this man would remain dangerous for as long as he drew breath. Rossart needed to die, and die today.

"HOW DARE YOU! WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT GENIUS!?" The maniac's horrific howl bounced off the barren stone surfaces. The echoes of his voice layered on levels of loathing, all of it being directed at Naruto. Tightening his fingers around the globe of Wildfire, he launched it right at Naruto's face. The blonde was quick to evade the glass and let it shatter against the wall behind him.

There were pieces of glass soaking in a glowing green liquid that splashed down the grooves in the brick wall but Naruto emerged from it unscathed. When he saw this Rossart tried to shove his dagger clean through Naruto's hand but he didn't get far in his endeavor. All it took was one headbutt from Naruto to break Rossart's nose. Not only did he break Rossart's nose but he also sent the alchemist stumbling back with tears in his eyes. He went far enough back that he actually knocked over another stack of Wildfire boxes.

The crash of the boxes was followed in short order by the meaty thud of Rossart hitting the ground. It took him a moment to do so but when he realized what had happened he threw himself towards the spread out bottles of glass. He tried his best to keep all the Wildfire in a single, controlled space. "No! No! No! NO! Don't break, it will be okay, I'm here for you my children, you're safe." The maniac made his promise to the Wildfire that had a few cracks in their containers from the way that they hit the ground.

As he stood there and watched a man care about a substance more than he did his own bleeding body, the assassin realized that danger really came in all forms. It was reinforced in his mind that weapons weren't as dangerous as they were made out to be. It was the minds behind the weapons that made weapons dangerous.

"You'd dare to harm my precious children? They will have their revenge! You will be the first to taste their fiery fury!" Not deterred by the fact it didn't work earlier, Rossart hurled another container of Wildfire at Naruto's head. This time instead of dodging the projectile Naruto caught it with one hand. Now armed with his own bit of Wildfire, Naruto began to inspect the sloshing liquid within the glass.

"What do we have here?"

"Take your sullied hands off of that!" This scream was one different from the other screams cause this time around his voice was held by a growing sense of fear. Now if this was fear for himself or for the fire he had thought of as a child was another point altogether.

Naruto outright ignored what the bleeding alchemist had to say. He skimmed his thumb underneath the rim of the cork and popped off the stopper which opened the glass container with a hollow sound. Curiosity got the better of Naruto and he leaned in to take a sniff of the vibrant substance. The smell of it was powerful enough that one whiff was enough to make Naruto recoil back, and that was probably for the best since he already felt his nostrils beginning to burn.

Torn between reaching for the one that Naruto held in his hand and the nine on the floor behind him, Rossart's entire body was shaking with a twisted kind of longing that certainly didn't belong attached to an inanimate object. He couldn't leave the rest of his children unattended so the best he could do was reach at the blonde with his stubby fingers which were burnt black from the failed attempts to master his craft. "No! Don't you violate the purity of the flames with your filth!"

"Alright, that's enough out of you." The assassin sent the alchemist skidding backward with a single kick to the chest. His kick shot the bottles scattered around Rossart's body in every direction while the man's body went backward. The only reason that Rossart stopped was because his back and the back of his head crashed into a stack of boxes that buckled when he slammed into them.

Rossart was already suffering through a broken, bleeding nose but if that wasn't enough to do the deed then hitting his head a second time in short order certainly would leave the older of the two men with some level of concussion. Taking advantage of the way that Rossart slid to the ground, Naruto planted his foot on Rossart's chest and held him down on his back. "I have an idea," Naruto spoke with a smirk, one that was illuminated ominously by the Wildfire globe in his nearby hand.

Looking past the glazed, absent look in Rossart's eyes, Naruto crouched down low. He replaced his foot with his knee and brought the Wildfire down near the Lord Hand's face. "If you care for this stuff so dearly then it's only right you be one with it." There was a distinct lack of mercy from Naruto as he tipped the glass container and began to pour the vibrant liquid into Rossart's open mouth.

It took two seconds if that for Rossart's tongue to burn and a second more than that before the alchemist began to flail from the body-shaking pain. If the liquid wasn't so damn painful then Rossart might have been able to push Naruto off but he was so ensnared by the misery of ingesting the Wildfire that all he was able to do was blindly spasm.

The sound of his retching nor the burning stench of flesh prevented Naruto from fully turning over the last of the Wildfire. Now that the jar was devoid of its substance he was able to take a step back and take a lasting look at the effects.

Rossart had since slowed the number of times he twitched but he didn't need to to be fully still for the damages to be seen. His lips were burnt down to the point that Naruto was able to look into the man's mouth past his charred gums and melted down teeth. Rossart's tongue which got the highest dose of Wildfire showed the consequences of that. He didn't have a tongue any longer but in its place was a smoldering, black clump.

His deformities weren't limited to his mouth. The damage dealt went much further through the now corpse. Black spots and burst bubbles of boiled flesh dueled for dominance along Rossart's throat in one cruel contest that left a number of pits on him. The holes gave Naruto a deeper view of Rossart than he wanted. In fact, a number of the holes in his neck were trickling with Wildfire that didn't quite make it all the way down the alchemist's frame.

"I'd take a look at your stomach, but I really don't what to see what the rest of you looks like. Enjoy resting with your precious Wildfire until someone finds your body… if someone finds it." With nothing more to do, he walked out of the room with his hands in his pockets. He kicked the door closed behind him and only when he heard the door shut did Naruto allow himself a second to grin.

Maneuvering himself through a number of weaving hallways and then up a number of required stairs, the blonde was given lots of time to come to terms with what he'd done. "Heh. It's not often that anyone has the chance to save so many people. No one will know that it was me but it still feels good."

"_It's the Lannisters! They are sacking the city! What do we do?"_

"_I don't fucking know! Get to the King, we have to keep Lord Aerys II safe!"_

Their cries of panic may as well have been an alarm blaring through Naruto's senses.

He kept his ear out for any sign of lingering knights but found none in the immediate vicinity. Once he was convinced he was safe to do so, Naruto moved out of the Red Keep dungeons and out into the courtyard of the castle. He turned his head up to look into the gray, cloudy sky that hid the sun fully. "I smell fire and smoke, and not the Wildfire variety of fire."

Slapping his face to refocus himself, there was a moist slap that genuinely surprised Naruto. He peeled his hand back from his whiskered cheek and that's when he saw the blood. It was blood that was both fresh and dried. This and the hole in his hand reminded Naruto that he indeed had been stabbed by Rossart. "I better fix that."

Shutting his eyes down tightly enough that the rest of his face scrunched up on itself, there was a brief hiss that followed which made Naruto open his eyes- eyes that were flickering to blue. He saw that the incision was now sealed back up, gone as if it had never been there. Nodding in satisfaction, the assassin raced further into the castle grounds to see exactly what was going on.

**END**

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**Writer's Note:** First off, I want to thank everyone who read, reviewed, favorited and followed me and this story after Chapter One. It had been so long since I put anything out there for others to read that I wasn't expecting much. In fact, I wasn't sure how it would go at all since I've never written for Naruto + Game of Thrones. You guys and gals blew it out of the water with all the support and I'll be thankful for that. That's enough of the sappy stuff.

I wanted to touch on one thing directly and that was the scene in the brothel. I think and always have thought that the bedroom is a very dangerous place in Game of Thrones. So much can come together or fall apart in a bedroom and I think that gets overlooked when things like dragons and magic come into the picture. This was my attempt to remind not only you guys and gals but myself of that.

Next chapter Elia comes into the picture which means Naruto's going to confront The Mountain That Rides! Till then!


	3. The Viper Princess

**Disclaimer**: I have no claim to anything that involves the Naruto series of the Game of Thrones juggernaut.

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_A New Game_

**Chapter Three: The Viper Princess**

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**Warning**: This chapter has a brutal scene within. If you know the Game of Thrones story then you know what I'm talking about.

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**Year 283 AC**

The night that Elia Martell, Princess of Dorne was married to Rhaegar Targaryen was by far the happiest she ever remembered being until the day that their daughter Rhaenys Targaryen was born. To the immense relief of her and her family, Rhaegar was a man of exceptional character, something that came up as a concern when they considered the madness that Rhaegar's father was capable of producing.

Things were on such a blissful track that she and Rhaegar even went on to have a second child. This time she gave birth to a son, a boy they named Aegon in honor of the Great Conqueror himself. His birth was not nearly as joyous for Elia and it was by no fault of the child. She loved her precious Aegon as much as she did her darling Rhaenys. Part of her problem lied in the fact that her health nearly failed her during the birthing process. More than that, she experienced a heart-crushing moment when she realized that Rhaegar no longer held the love for her that he once did. She could see it in his eyes as easy as it was to behold the sun or the moon.

Her marriage and her relationship with Rhaegar came to a head when he had the Head Septon annul the marital contract that bound them together. She was understandably devastated by his decision, and what made it even worse was that Elia knew there was nothing she could do to change his mind. And as if that wasn't enough, Rhaegar and his new fancy decided to have their secret wedding in the very room where her marriage ended. This happened some time ago but that didn't prevent Elia from remembering the woman's name. It was the name of a woman who ruined her once perfect marriage.

Lyanna Stark

It was humorous in a twisted kind of way that the two of them never said more than a passing hello but that lack of interaction hadn't stopped the woman betrothed to Robert Baratheon from not only destroying her marriage but also creating a war throughout the realms. Call Elia petty, but her concerns and anger rose solely from the fact that Lyanna had taken away her loving husband… and from there, things only got worst for the abandoned Martell Princess.

Without the love or affection of the Dragon Prince and the protection that came with it, Elia found herself stranded in a world of animals who'd rather feast on her than support her. She no longer possessed the freedom to leave the Royal Tower. She hadn't seen any other person outside of her children and the two handmaidens that came with her from Sunspear years back, The Seven bless their kind hearts. The only thing that kept her sane and functioning were her two babies. Aegon was still an infant and Rhaenys was old enough that Elia had to keep it together to ensure that her daughter was safe and happy in their less than ideal life.

_Unbowed. Unbent. Unbroken._

With those promised words from her house as reinforcements for her soul and the responsibility of her children steadying the rips in her broken heart, Elia managed to survive a place that was swamped in pitfalls and political landmines. Her time in King's Landing was far from pleasant but it was a tumultuous period that she and her children survived and that's all that the mother of two could ask for.

Just when their tense lives had normalized to some degree, the furious Stag, Robert Baratheon let loose a rebellion that swept across the Seven Realms of Westeros. The optimistic side of her that she shared with her brother Oberyn held onto the hope that Robert's intrusion would afford her the chance to escape King's Landing and return to Sunspear with her children. Reality ensured that things would not be so easy for her.

Elia knew enough about politics to know that the tide of Robert's revenge had caught the ruling family of Westeros off guard. She could thank the training she received alongside another one of her brothers, Doran, for that knowledge. Whether it was a panicked move or not it didn't matter because the Targaryens made the shrewd move when they chose to hold her hostage. With her, her daughter, and her son as leverage there was simply no way that her family could deny the demands from the Iron Throne to raise arms against the rebellion.

The proud daughter of Dorne was disgusted to the deepest pits in her stomach that she was being used against her flesh and blood in such an unsavory way. Yet, no matter how much she despised it, there wasn't anything Elia could do about it, and not for lack of trying. She had attempted to bribe the help in the Red Keep to send a message via raven to her home but word eventually made its way back to Aerys II. He punished her by withholding food from her children for two days. He couldn't kill her or her children because of their value but he could make them miserable and often did. Had he done anything against her then Elia would have kept trying but by targeting her children Aerys II shut down her fighting spirit quickly.

"Momma!" The Viper Princess was sent out of her thoughts about the last ten months and their memories when her daughter Rhaenys came barrelling into her waist and midsection. Clutching fearfully at the brown and cream colored robes that Elia was wearing, Rhaenys looked up to her mother with a pair of deep chocolate eyes. "Momma, when is the fighting going to stop?"

The mention of the events outside reminded Elia that they were indeed in the middle of a siege, something that made her feel even more useless seeing how she was stuck up in this damned tower. Her eyes looked through the window to see a number of city buildings already burning as bright as kindling while smoke filtered into the soot-stained sky. Holding back a sigh, Elia took Rhaenys by her hand and tenderly guided her away from the window and all its immoral sights. "Don't worry, no one will be able to get us all the way up here. We're safe"

Rhaenys allowed her mother to sit her on the precipice of the bed and even smiled at her when Elia started to play with her long, dark hair. It was the best way to put the young girl at ease and it would have worked wonders too if not for a poorly timed explosion that was loud enough that even the family in the Royal Tower was able to hear it. Thankfully it didn't make Aegon do more than mumble but it did make the young Rhaenys wince before a whimper bubbled out of her mouth. "I'm scared, Momma"

Cursing the men outside and their destructive nature within her mind, Elia settled on her knees in front of her trembling daughter. She put her forehead against her darling daughter's forehead and then placed two kisses to each of Rhaenys' cheeks. Elia's instinct was to frown with displeasure knowing someone had dared to scare her child but refrained from doing so to make sure that Rhaenys didn't take her reaction the incorrect way. "Do you remember the words I told you? The ones to remember during the times that you're scared?"

As Rhaenys continued to look into her mother's compassionate eyes it became clear that she was either too scared to remember or was simply incapable of recalling what her mother was asking for. It took a handful of moments but the flash of remembrance made its way to Rhaenys' teary eyes. "We are Unbowed. We are Unbent. We are Unbroken?"

The smile that bloomed over Elia's face was much too bright for their current predicament but that didn't stop her from wearing her smile without shame. Leaning upon the points of her knees, she pressed another warm kiss to the crown of her daughter's head. Hearing those words come from Rhaenys' mouth swelled Elia with an indescribable kind of pride. "That's right, so long as you follow those three very important things you will be strong. You want to be a strong big sister, don't you?"

An unbowing look of determination made itself at home on the young lady's face, a determination which made her small hands ball up cutely against her chest. She nodded her head so suddenly that it made her medium length dark hair bounce. Rhaenys' eyes were so fierce that they'd make any true dragon proud. "I will be the best big sister ever! Momma, can I go play with Aegon, please?"

Oh, those imploring eyes and pouting lips would have forced even the strong-willed Elia Martell to cave but her savior came in the form of the aforementioned Aegon. Her little babe was sleeping soundly through all of the chaos happening throughout King's Landing, something she was pleased to see. "I'm sorry Rhae but he's sleeping. We have to let Aegon sleep, okay?"

Far from pleased but always ready to listen to her mother, Rhaenys eclipsed one arm over the other petulantly before she looked away from her mother's knowing gaze with a substantial pout on her face. It wasn't an expression fated for her face because once her eyes fell upon a familiar dresser her look turned into a huge smile. Before Elia could even think to stop her, Rhaenys ran to said dresser and pulled out a book that she brought back to her mother.

"Momma, will you read this story to me?" The young girl with both Martell and Targaryen blood made her request while holding up a fictional tale written in honor of Visenya Targaryen and her dragon, Vhagar. As one with dragon blood, Rhaenys had always been interested in having a dragon to call hers and the strong example set by Visenya was the child's inspiration and her motivation, although her desire had yet to mature out of doing it only because it would be cool to ride a dragon.

Elia rolled her because this had to be the hundredth time that Rhaenys had asked her to read this particular story in the past five days, and that wasn't including the number of times that Rhaenys read the story on her own. But Elia knew she couldn't fault her darling daughter since she had been the exact same way as a young girl when it came to her idol, Nymeria, the Warrior Princess of Dorne. "Fine, come over here~"

During the span of the next hour, Elia regaled her enamored daughter with the fantastical story imprinted on the pages of the book. The words spoke of challenges and how the fearsome Targaryen Queen overcame those obstacles with wit, skill, and the aid of her dragon companion. There were instances in the story where Rhaenys would interrupt with small comments of her own or with natural enthusiasm but to the doting mother, it only added to the experience.

There were plenty of times along the way when Elia used the intermission between pages to steal a glance at her daughter. The happiness and hope she saw lingering in Rhaenys' dark eyes filled the mother with a joy that practically exuded from her body. 'Once we get out of this horrible place I will make sure you have the world, Rhae. My daughter deserves that and so much more.'

"Hurry up and turn the page Momma! I want to hear how Visenya beat the Vale all by herself!" Leave it to a child to not care for anything other than the instantaneous satisfaction of doing and getting what they wanted. Rhaenys was a clever child but a clever child was still a child all the same, and it was her childish side manifesting itself in the form of a huffing glare.

Gazing south into her daughter's squinted eyes and jutted out lip broke the dam that kept her emotions in check up until now. With no restraints left in place other than the hand she used to muffle herself, Elia started to giggle merrily at the adorable look of consternation that her little daughter was presenting. "We'll get there~" With a maternal smile, Elia leaned over and pecked the top of Rhaenys' hair with a loving kiss that brought a brilliant smile to form on the young girl's face.

Seeing no reason to make her daughter wait, Elia read her last chapter.

_The men serving Vale were lined up shoulder to shoulder in preparation for the battle against the great warrior that had traveled from Essos to their homes in the Riverland. Legends of this warrior had brought lesser men to shake in their armors and these men were no exception to that standard. When the clouds parted and a shadow descended from the splitting Heavens there were whispers among the army that questioned if a Goddess of some sort had lowered from the clouds. A Goddess would've been a much better outcome for these men of the Vale because a Goddess would have shown them mercy._

_Their enemy wouldn't extend the same opportunity because her dragon Vhagar and her sword, Dark Sister were craving the taste of blood. As her sharp, amethyst eyes counted off the number of knights down below a beautifully dangerous smile flourished across her face. Her words were not more than a whisper. They were words left only for the Heavens to hear but everyone could feel her presence, words or not._

"_So this is Westeros? I wonder how they'd like a taste of true power, the power of Old Valyria?" The winds howled around the wings of her loyal dragon and the Warrior Queen rode the winds down like a Goddess of Storms who was ready to rip through the ranks of men…_

A sharp shriek pierced through the relative calm that had acted as a safe haven for Elia Martell's family, one that existed outside of the hysteria happening down below in the streets of King's Landing. The shriek shook off the walls and rushed through the halls of the Royal Tower until it flew past the door to their room. Rhaenys was confused, Aegon -who was woken by the sound- began to cry, and Elia was taken with a wintery cold feeling of fear that sunk her stomach.

'That scream sounded like Shea's voice.' Shea was one of the two handmaidens that made the trip to King's Landing with her. If that was her scream then it felt like someone who was making a final plea for someone to save them from a death they didn't deserve. 'Oh no, they're here!'

With the leisure of safety taken from them, Elia was forced to move with an urgency that only made things feel as if they were inevitable. Taking hold of her daughter with a pair of firm hands, Elia looked right into Rhaenys' eyes which only now took themselves off the locked door. "I need you to listen to me Rhaenys. I want you to hide under the bed and not make a sound no matter what happens. Do you understand me?"

"What… what are you talking about Momma?"

Elia refused to elaborate further than she had and honestly she wasn't positive that she could say more even if she desired to. "Rhaenys! You will listen to your mother! Do you understand me?"

She may not have understood why she needed to do what was being asked but Rhaenys did know that her mother was being extremely serious when she told her to hide under the bed. Nodding her head almost timidly, Rhaenys slowly inched her way into the darkness that waited beneath the bed.

With one of her children taken care of to the best of her limited ability, Elia shifted over and gently began to rock Aegon's crib with one hand. The gentle swaying motion of his bed and the sight of his mother's smiling face was enough to pacify the infant for the moment.

The Lady Viper hailing from Sunspear had intentions of using the dressers in the room to block up the door she was now in front of, but then the bolted, wooden partition was thrown open by an ungodly amount of force. Elia was close enough -unfortunately- that as the entrance was ripped open she was clipped by the swinging door and sent crashing to the ground.

She could feel her elbows throb as they bled from her broken skin yet she soldiered on and battled down the pain. When she looked up and saw the person who barged in everything felt like it stopped. The visual of what stood in front of her made the southern woman's blood run cold through her veins. "No…"

Clad with enough bulky metal to serve an entire unit of men was a colossus of a human being who looked even larger because of the small room he stuffed himself into. At a seemingly impossible height of eight feet tall and topping off at five hundred pounds without armor, the visage of Gregor Clegane was out of this world. He leered at an absolutely petrified Elia Martell from beneath his helm. He drank in her fear like a fine Dornish wine and it left the man known as The Mountain with a disturbing grin. "So you do remember me, good!"

When the giant of a man stepped forward Elia dragged her body backward, away from the bed where she knew Rhaenys was lurking. "Y-You can't be here! Get out!" She hissed at the man as he continued to stalk her across the chamber.

Clearly disregarding what she had to say, the infamous knight of Tywin Lannister tore his helmet from his head before dropping it on the floor behind him. "And who's going to stop me, eh? Your husband maybe? Oh wait, that fucker is dead in The Trident!" His booming laughter easily overpowered the high-pitch cries arising from a gravely disturbed Aegon.

Elia was so preoccupied with looking for something to use for defense against the man leering at her body that she failed to see the wall behind her until the backs of her shoulders were crowding on it. Her gasp was quickly silenced by Gregor wrapping one of his hands around her throat. With his monstrous strength, the sham of a knight was able to hold Elia high enough up that her feet weren't even touching the ground.

"The day that your husband knighted me I remember thinking that one day I'd test your cunt and here I am. Which will feel better, fucking you or your fear?" He put their mouths close enough that his hot, garlicky breath hit her in the face. It was a sensation that made her skin crawl. She was doing her best to claw at his wrist but not only was the brute a powerful one but his armor was thick like a carapace of tempered steel.

The continuation of her struggling only helped entertain The Mountain further. He let Elia know as much with what he announced next. "Yes, that's it! Keep struggling, it will make it that much more pleasurable once you start screaming around my cock!" The man chortled crassly before his eyes and his free hand went down to Elia's chest which he began to help himself to.

Here she was suspended while her breasts were being mauled by something that was more a rabid beast than it was a man. It wasn't a condolence since she was being sexually assaulted but at the very least she still had her clothing to cover up her body. Not aroused in the slightest by his unwanted touch, the Viper hissed hatefully at the intruder. Internally cursing that she didn't have a dagger or something on her person, Elia did something that many people would call insane. She spat right in the face of The Mountain, a showing of what she thought of him.

What amusement that laid within Gregor slid away just like the spit that fell down over his eye and along his cheek until that glob of spit got stuck in his black beard. He had no need for words at this point. He unleashed a swift backhand that rattled Elia's skull and left the entire left side of her face a heated red that burned through her olive complexion. He was ignoring it with the help of his mood but now that his good mood was gone he realized how irritable the crying baby was. "Would you shut that fucking kid up!?"

The Mountain looked back over one of his massive shoulders to glare at the man who came with him, Amory Lorch. The man was a Lannister knight and currently, he was leaning back against the open door with his arms compacted over the top of his chest. Amory was able to be fearless where others would be cowering because Amory had the protection of Tywin Lannister to turn back Gregor's nasty temper. "I thought you wanted to be the one to kill off Rhaegar's line? Well, do it."

"You're a little shit. If Tywin didn't like you so much I would have cut you in half months ago!"

An untamable inferno welled up inside of Elia's belly as she listened to these two fiends in human skin talk about murdering one of her children. Her rational thought was replaced by the passion of pure emotion that led the Dornish Princess to scream in an effort to reclaim their attention. "NO! Don't touch him you-"

She was thrown to the ground with all the carefulness given to trash. The Mountain scoffed at the woman who now had an arch to her body as it writhed in pain. Elia already had a weak body and the unforgiving stone certainly didn't help that condition. Stomping towards Aegon's crib, his deep shadow and bloody scent only made the infant's cry escalate into a full-blown wail.

Palming the babe by his face, The Mountain's natural grip had such strength to it that the baby's skull was already beginning to give in. The pain from the grip made the baby scream louder which in turn only fed into Gregor's legendary anger.

"SHUT!" In a truly brutal move, Gregor turned his hand and viciously slammed Aegon's still developing skull into the red bricks against his crib. All it took was a single smash from this massive man to cave in the side of Aegon's skull and silence his cries… but that wasn't enough to satiate The Mountain. "YOUR!" Bludgeoning the baby with another anger-induced slam, this time blood and brain matter fired into the air like a geyser of gore. The pressurized pop soaked Gregor's silver armor that until this point only had soot marking it. **"FUCKING MOUTH!"** The third attack proved to be the final one and it was timed with Elia's heaven-splitting scream and the gruesome, wet sound of her child's head being crushed into a bloody mush.

Dropping the headless corpse of what used to be a baby back into his crib, Gregor paid one final satisfied glance at all the blood and gore that was pooling up in the crib. He wiped his massive hands across his chest plate but he still had his fair share of bloodied grime dripping from the fingers of his crimson-smeared gauntlet. "Finally some bloody fucking silence!"

Elia thought that the day Rhaegar chose Lyanna over her hurt but she was wrong. There was nothing that compared to how she felt _watching_ as her child was slaughtered like he was an insect. With all of her strength sapped, the normally fiery Dorne collapsed like a lifeless doll. Those dark eyes that held her precious children with such love not even ten minutes ago were now matching pits of emptiness that didn't blink, didn't tear up, or even move away from the crib as it dripped blood and the occasional chunk of something thicker.

Now that her mind was broken Gregor had every intention of breaking her royal body. Then when he was done with her, Gregor would follow through with his arrangement to kill anyone left in the Red Keep. He took a step closer to a motionless Elia when he heard the faintest of noises that made his stocky neck turn so he could stare at Amory.

"Was that you?" The gore-wearing knight's demand drew Amory's curious gaze away from the final resting place of Aegon Targaryen, son of Rhaegar and Elia. Not one hundred percent sure what The Mountain meant with that question, he cocked his brow and gave the massive knight a sideways look.

"I don't know what you're talking about, just take care of your business so we can move on. This place isn't exactly small, in case you haven't noticed."

"Smart-mouthed shit" He was tempted to take his greatsword and cleave the Lorch knight into two different halves. If he kept mouthing off like he was now then Tywin could have him back after he had Amory stitched back together. "Just check the bed, you shit!"

Amory rolled his eyes but in the end, he did push himself off the door. He stepped leisurely around the spilled blood of Aegon on his way towards the bed. He put one hand down on top of the bed then bent down to take a peek under the frame. It took him all of a moment before his eyes widened and a not so nice smile spread over his face. "Oh? What do we have here?"

Making use of his available arm, Amory fished out Rhaenys from where she was hiding below the bed. Because she was hauled out of hiding by her hair and for other apparent reasons, Rhaenys had salty tears flowing from her eyes. Then she saw the red on the floor and screwed her eyes shut with a choked out sob.

The smaller of the two knights didn't pay any more attention to the crying girl he yanked to her feet than that first look. He was looking straight at The Mountain with a sardonic smile distinctly pulled into his facial features. "Looks like you missed one, huh _Ser_?"

"RHAENYS!"

The reveal of her darling daughter gifted a shell shocked Elia a spark of life. Her thoughts were still a jumbled mess of things and none of them included any idea on how she could save her daughter from dying… dying just like her son did.

"I said shut your fucking mouth!" Gregor turned to give her a second, more stiff backhand but he was stopped short when he overheard a gasp from behind him. He spun around expecting Amory being hit by some futile attempt from the little girl.

But that's not what he got, not even close.

In the shadow of Amory Lorch stood Naruto, whose lips were torqued into a fierce scowl that exposed his ranks of shimmering white teeth. His oceanic eyes were narrowed down to the point that his pupils laid over ice-cold irses in a way that made them resemble two slits. It was those slits that glared into the side of Amory's startled expression. The cause of Amory's distressed cry was the kunai that Naruto speared deep into the back of the knight's shoulder.

Thanks to the Wildfire that was slathered over his superheated dagger, the metal was already dissolving but while it still had its shape he was able to puncture through Amory's armor like it was made from parchment and not steel. He put his palm against the loop on the kunai and shoved the dagger in as far as he could force it to go. It was a pressure that made Amory's hidden flesh and muscle sizzle as the Wildfire scorched his body.

Amory's anguish came in the form of a scream. His scream came with a world that begun to spin thanks to the strain of being torn into with Wildfire. Naruto's kunai didn't need long to pierce Amory's rotator cuff. The kunai cut through a modest portion of the muscles that were not only sliced but burnt as well. Lorch felt a tremor of pain shake his arm prior to his fingers opening up which released Rhaenys from a previously ironclad grasp.

Now that freedom was returned to her, Rhaenys raced right by a shocked Gregor Clegane and directly into the embrace provided by her mother's arms. Feeling safe and at her limit, she unleashed a torrent of tears that had built up throughout this whole ordeal. Naruto spared the mother and daughter a much kinder gaze. Happy for them, he took a stride back from Amory who fell flat on his face unconscious from Naruto's precise strike.

A precise incision should've been left by the blonde's weapon but that hole was already capped over by the liquid form of his black weapon, the metal actually having melted down thanks to the Wildfire. What once was a kunai now acted as something of a provisional bandage that was crude at best.

'I never would've thought this is what I'd find when I came up this tower. If I didn't go back to take some Wildfire then I wouldn't have been able to…' He forcefully cut himself off from entertaining what might have happened if he didn't appear when he did. The death in the crib was more than enough to set the whiskered killer off as it was. Looking down on the motionless man at his feet, Naruto shook his head with condemnation. 'I should've gone for the kill on him but I needed to make sure that the girl wasn't at risk. At least she is back with her mom. That's a plus.'

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" The shock factor that was created by the abruptness of the blonde's appearance had turned the feared Mountain into a simple spectator. Now that the shock wore off all that was left in its place was a wave of blood-boiling anger that was much more natural to the brute.

As a matter of fact, Naruto's keen ears picked up on the sound of The Mountain's metal gauntlets creaking from the force of his balled up fist.

Naruto's blue eyes examined the physically daunting man. He was so tall that Naruto was forced to dip his head back so he could properly look into Gregor's rounded face. He was silent for a few moments before his eyes glinted devilishly and his mouth warped into a carefree smirk. At this moment, Naruto looked like someone who couldn't care less about The Mountain's reputation. "I'm someone that knows murdering children for being who they are is wrong. If anything that makes me a man and you, well that makes you a bitch!"

If what Elia did was suicidal when she spit in his face then outright calling this giant a bitch must have been tantamount to complete annihilation, and Naruto did it wearing a straight face painted with a crooked smirk.

Red was all the blood-stained man could see. Gregor's reaction was very much like that of a volcano erupting with its fiery spew. It began with his body shaking in unholy anger. Then his face went red before he unleashed all of his rage in one large roar that reverberated the entirety of the bedroom, scaring Rhaenys into a yelp. The Mountain rushed directly for the smaller man with a speed that took Naruto by surprise. Naruto tried to hurl a standard kunai at the rampaging man but the assassin's attempts were deflected by one of Gregor's arms as he kept on his warpath.

With no effort at all, he scooped Naruto up with his shoulder and carried him out of the room. From there Gregor drove Naruto spine first into the wall with as much of his weight as he could possibly place into the gesture. The blonde was forced into a strangled grunt because of this crushing collision that compressed his torso painfully. He wasn't given a chance to do more than grunt because he was grabbed by the throat courtesy of an absolutely livid Gregor. "I'm gonna rip your eyes out and then I'm gonna let you hear me kill the girl before I fuck the woman and kill her too! Then after them, I'm gonna squash your skull under one of my boots! How's that sound to you, _bitch_?"

If the fingers collapsing his throat wasn't bad enough then being forced to breathe in The Mountain's unruly breath as it splashed across his face certainly made things unadvantageous. It took a moment but he did open his mouth to force a response out. "I may have one thing to add." He bit into the inside of his cheek and let the blood flow into his mouth. When there was enough blood pooled up in his mouth he spit into right into The Mountain's eyes.

"GAH!" They could call him a Mountain but that didn't change the fact that he was a man of flesh and blood like anyone else. It didn't change the fact that his eyes were as vulnerable as every other human's eyes. Case in point when the blood started to sting Gregor's dark eyes with a pain he certainly hadn't felt in some time… if ever. He tried his best to wipe away at his orbs with his free hand but cleaning the viscous liquid wasn't a simple task.

Because of the distraction dispensed by the blood, Gregor's grip slackened as his concentration began to waver. The marginal loosening of his claws was all Naruto needed to commence with his comeback. Making the most of the space between Gregor's fingers and his neck, Naruto wormed his fingers around The Mountain's pointer finger and jerked back with as much might as he could drum up.

The ensuing pop was the sound of Gregor having his digit broken or at the very least disjointed at the knuckle. It was also the din of Naruto winning his freedom because the discomfort forced the hulking knight to release the streamline assassin. Naruto moved so his fall was controlled and suitable to help him spring into his succeeding move. Dipping into his stockpile of kunai, -one that was running low- Naruto palmed a kunai that he gashed across the inside of Gregor's thigh. It was metal gouging against metal but his kunai found a chink in the armor that he exploited to its utmost. 'Bigger arteries, organs, and more space for veins to spread over… a bigger man only means more spaces to dismember.'

The kunai lodged into his armor dribbled with blood as Gregor dropped to down to a single knee in front of the clipper. Naruto left his kunai in his adversary and took advantage of the situation to follow up with a twisting, climbing uppercut that snapped The Mountain's entire head back with a flat thud.

Gregor moved his arms up to try and answer the sight of Naruto's elbow dropping down on him, however, there wasn't enough time for him to catch up with the speedy striker's decisive blow. The point of Naruto's elbow plummeted down and crashed into Gregor's head with enough force that it actually sent The Mountain down onto both knees with a giant gash opened just beneath his hairline.

With the oldest Clegane on his knees, Naruto felt much more comfortable with his capacity to break down the giant with what he held on his person. The blood on the cloth over his elbow only reinforced that trust in himself.

This kind of confidence was what had Naruto miscalculating what Gregor could tolerate when it came to pain. Naruto paid for that oversight when The Mountain nearly doubled him over with a straight right to the abdomen. The breath was knocked from his lungs in short order and Naruto went coasting into the wall behind him. Grunting, he dropped one hand to rub at his stomach while he also urged the eye that fell shut to open. 'What absurd strength! If he was able to put any weight behind that I would have broken something. Very appropriate for a man known as The Mountain That Rides.'

What Naruto had in his favor was a naturally more durable build than someone with his toned physique should have. This frame is what enabled him to consume a heavy blow like that and be left with nothing more than a slow ache and maybe a bruise. When he peered back at Gregor the man was already hefting himself back to a knee with a veil of crimson blood trickling over the wrinkles in his furrowed brow.

The most definite way to establish victory was to keep The Mountain off his feet, so that's precisely what Naruto chose to do.

Leaving his muscles to go stiff, the blonde unleashed all of that stored up energy in one go. He went racing through the restricted space of this tower hallway. Naruto collapsed onto his knees mid-run and let his momentum send him forward. He skimmed by the arm Gregor was using to stabilize himself. Momentum and his own strength kindled the attack the blonde used to hack at the inside of Gregor's wrist. Naruto's attack earned him a splash of blood. His attack also sent a burst of pain straight into the tendons in Gregor's large arm. The Mountain buckled and dropped onto his chest with a grunt fitting of a boar.

"People call you The Mountain because you're big and have stupid strength, but you're just like every other big thing that I've fought. You're not special because you have more brawn than brain. You don't have any technical skill and you don't have the speed to last so unless you can grab onto someone with quick bursts or intimidate them you are as useful as a bow without an arrow." This singular encounter presented Naruto all he needed to know about Gregor.

The Mountain was a man inclined to violence and impulsive behavior. He also had an ego twenty million miles wide because too many people _couldn't_ handle the man's colossus size. All of these things made the brute easy to manipulate, and manipulation both physical and psychological was something Naruto could handle.

Gregor grit his teeth like a feral animal as he listened to Naruto talk down to him. Naruto's words only stoked the flames of his limitless anger. It was anger that led him to dig his chin into the ground so he could glare two matching murderous holes into the blonde shit that dared stand over him, the blood Naruto spit on him smeared at the corners of his eyes. More blood fell from his forehead and down the grooves of his face but Gregor didn't care for anything past killing Naruto at the moment. "You think you can beat me? THINK AGAIN!"

To have someone eight feet something go from being on their belly to charging in two seconds flat was something straight out of a nightmare. Common people would've frozen, and rightfully so in the face of Gregor's terrifying charge but not Naruto. Having seen it once he knew exactly what he needed to do to counteract the attack. That upward charge of The Mountain put his skull in direct line with the knee that Naruto shipped forward to meet him.

Naruto's knee hit clean against Gregor's gaping forehead and for a moment neither of the two combatants moved from the point of contact. The quietness was eerie until the standstill ceased when Gregor's whole body jerked once before crumbling like it was a boneless mass. Naruto waited a moment to make sure his foe was down before he blew out a faint sigh. Dropping the knee that was bloodied with The Mountain's crimson life liquid, he spoke. "And he's down"

He shook out his knee which other than feeling bruised like his stomach was just fine. Not that he expected anything less from himself, even when confronting someone like The Mountain. He went to walk away from the body but was stopped by a throaty, wordless noise that trickled out of the fellow on the ground. "Stay down dog or else…"

The assassin was willing to walk away from the fight for a moment. Then he remembered what Gregor had done and what he prevented Gregor from doing when he showed up. Turning back around with a pair of eyes that could make the cold of Winterfell jealous, the swift scrapper reached down and showed he had the strength to go with his speed when he drew Gregor's upper body off the ground by the back of his chest plate. "You're not worthy of dying on this day, not when so many good people have fallen… but the day will come where you are punished for your crimes."

Though there was no way to prove it, Naruto was certain that the toppled knight apprehended the words being promised to his ear. Plucking the kunai out of Gregor's thigh, he moved his signature weapon so it loomed an inch from Gregor's face. "Today I'm going to take one of your eyes. The day that I claim your second eye is the day you die, remember that _bitch_."

With a sure-handed grace that only a master of the armament could obtain, he slashed a fluid motion without looking. The arc of his blade progressed from the top right corner of Gregor's eye and down to the bottom left of the eye socket. Now that the deed was done Naruto dropped Gregor's head back to the sanguineous ground. He didn't need to look back to discern that his black blade left what used to be an eye torn open through its eyelid. "If you bleed out I'll find your body and some way to bring you back so I can deliver you the death you deserve."

His final warning was delivered with a growl. Naruto dropped his kunai to the ground for Gregor to keep when he woke up again. With his foe dispatched, the assassin drifted back toward the bedroom everything started in.

Naruto attempted to be quiet as he stepped back into the bedroom but apparently he wasn't silent enough because the moment he showed up he became the captive of Elia's suspicious gaze. He didn't blame her for responding that way, just like he didn't blame her for shielding her child from him.

He knew that acting slowly and patiently was the only means he had to make this work. Keeping both of his hands up to show the on edge lady that there was nothing in his hands, Naruto fell to his knees and sat on the ground beside where he left Amory laid out. "I'm sorry"

Of all the millions and millions of mixtures that could have been said, Elia didn't expect a soft-spoken apology to be among the sounds that came from the man in front of her. His response gave her reason to hesitate for several seconds. "You're sorry?" Elia reciprocated his words. Clearly, she didn't understand why he elected to use them.

Uncertain if there was a way for him to answer her inquiry in a way that was sensitive to the plight she experienced, the blonde inclined his head over to the crib where Aegon's mutilated body was left. Elia followed his gaze only to spontaneously conceal her face within the sleeping Rhaenys' hair. She did well to hide it but he could still detect the hitch that hit her breathing… not that he'd ever call her out on it.

She needed some time but when she did glance back up she did so with an admirable expression that didn't include the tears that were fighting to bubble up from her chocolate-colored eyes. "Don't apologize, you saved me and more importantly you saved my daughter when I could not. Can you give me your name?"

His smile wasn't on his face because of the praise awarded to him. The smile that Naruto donned was there because he found himself respecting this woman's strength of mind. To even be operational after what happened to her and her children was a response nothing short of miraculous. "My name's Naruto, no family name."

Elia thought his name was odd after hearing it for the first time but he could be named after a breed of horse for all she cared. This man rescued her daughter and as such he'd always have some piece of her gratitude. "Thank you so much, Naruto."

"You're welcome… er- I don't actually know your name."

At first, she felt surprised that he didn't recognize her but that quickly shifted into an ugly sense of suspicion that preyed on her frazzled nerves. Elia tried to not blow her ego out of proportion like her brother often did, but at the same time, there was one point where she was meant to be the Queen of The Seven Kingdoms. She was someone who had clout, that was a fact. "How can you not know who I am? I'm Elia Martell!"

That was a name he recognized but until this moment it was a name that he didn't have a face for. However, with that changing Naruto was left to look like quite the fool. "Ah, yes, I know that name. I've just never had the chance to see you in person before this meeting, my lady."

Naruto's answer did relieve some of her suspicions and forced the rest of them to the back of her mind. She supposed it was entirely possible that someone could know her name but not what she looked like. It wasn't as if she had spent much time in the eye of the public recently.

"Did you kill him?"

The question changed the subject so suddenly that Naruto needed to blink to reset his mind. When he glanced down to the top of his thighs he did so in a style that hid his blue hues from the searching optics Elia had on him. "No, I did not." Thanks to a sort of obligation Naruto felt to her, he slowly reared his head up to see Elia's venomous glare meeting him head-on.

"Why?" It may have only been one word but there were times where all it took was a single word to convey the undiluted contempt that one person felt for another. This was one of those times and justifiably so.

Fear wasn't something that was often found on the blonde's whiskered face. There wasn't any fear when he stood across from The Mountain and there wasn't any fear here and now as he stared unflinchingly into the stormy expression of an infuriated Dornish Princess. "He doesn't deserve death on a day where so many innocent people died," Naruto stated adamantly, showing no signs that he'd back down from his position.

Rhaenys was an unmentioned blessing at this time. Thanks to her presence in her mother's arms and lap, it stopped the vengeance-hungry woman from doing anything unforeseen. "He murdered my baby boy! He needs to die!" She hissed with spite that was pitched at Naruto by proxy of his choice to not kill Gregor Clegane.

"If you want him dead then I'll give you the knife and you can kill him and the man beside me, but I won't kill them, not today. They deserve a death so much more painful than this, a death that happens in front of everyone after they have confessed to their crimes." His voice was laced with an unshakable certainty that would have swayed most people.

Elia might have been one of those people if it weren't for the fact that she had a piece of her life, her soul ripped away from her thanks to that monster. "That won't happen! He serves the Lannisters and after what happens here today he will be untouchable. If he doesn't die now then it won't ever happen!" Elia beseeched Naruto to reconsider his choice, her focus narrowing down to Gregor in particular.

Shaking his head, the killer of men didn't look away from the burning brown eyes that refused to submit to him. "I don't care if it's the Lannisters or the King, the day will come where The Mountain will suffer the consequences of his choices. I promise you that I will make him suffer for what he did to your family, and I always fulfill my promises."

Two powerful wills clashed in silence. The copper-colored eyes of Elia Martell were alive with anger as they pierced into the calm cerulean eyes of Naruto. Her emotions were pouring out through her eyes but Naruto didn't look away or even flinch. He sat in place and received the brunt of her emotions until the fury simmered out and she closed her eyes. When she opened them again it was to study the top of Rhaenys' head. She couldn't let herself break, not when Rhaenys needed her. There was nothing in the world that could stop her from being there for her darling daughter, her own emotions included.

"Fine, but I need to be there when he pays for what he did!"

"Deal"

The memories of what transpired today wouldn't ever truly fade but thanks to Naruto's promise Elia felt that she could at least shelf such thoughts until she and Rhaenys were safe from the specter of King's Landing. "Naruto, I know this is completely unfair of me to ask, but will you please get my daughter and I out of King's Landing, please?"

"Ya know, I already planned on making you that very offer." Naruto's response came with a complimentary smile. It was a small smile that was considerate of what happened here in the chamber but it was also an attempt to get Elia to smile.

His attempt to get a reaction out of Elia failed. She didn't smile but she did nod her head while looking slightly relieved that he agreed to help. She did her best to hold her hopes even-keeled but thoughts of returning home with Rhaenys made such an effort tough. "If you bring us to Sunspear then I'm certain my brother Doran will reward you in whatever way you so desire." Naruto may have consented to do the job but Elia didn't believe it would hurt to sweeten the deal by offering him whatever he might want.

Waving away the thought of a reward as quickly as it was offered, Naruto went so far as to shake his head in direct opposition to the notion. "No thanks, I'm not doing this for a prize, my lady." His response made Elia's jaw literally drop open in shock. How was it plausible he didn't desire anything for saving literal royalty? He could demand anything in the world and Elia was sure that Oberyn would move the moon itself if it meant she was back home at Sunspear.

The Viper was ready to chase after the questions in her brain by asking them when Naruto cut in with a topic of his own asking. "Do you want to say goodbye to him before we go?" His voice fell down low to show sympathy for the woman. Naruto wished there was something he could do for the child that had his life robbed but they just didn't have the time.

Like a blanket meant to extinguish emotions fell upon her, any hints of life that Elia was supporting were erased by the mention of Aegon. Her eyes that once held a smidge of emotion fell back into dull darkness that existed before Rhaenys was dragged out from underneath the bed. Elia's body locked up from the shoulders down, with only her fingers moving as they grasped at Rhaenys' attire. It was a challenging choice to make but ultimately Elia nodded her head.

"Do you want me to hold her?" Taken by surprise from his offer, the Viper Princess looked back at Naruto to find him standing up. She looked down on Rhaenys who was sleeping in her arms thanks to the events of the day and their toll on her. With one more glance to Naruto, Elia stood as well and moved a step closer to him.

"Thank you" Putting some trust in him, Elia was careful as she gave Rhaenys over to Naruto. She watched him gingerly brace Rhaenys in one of his arms so that she was lying upon his chest and her head was resting against the side of his neck. The shift in position made Rhaenys mumble sleepily but ultimately she settled into her new spot easily enough.

Utilizing a nod to tell the mother that he had Rhaenys, Naruto watched Elia walk over to the crib but no further than that. Out of respect, he afforded Elia some privacy when he shifted his attention down to Elia's daughter. It was a reminder that he needed to learn her name at a more appropriate time. "You and your mom are a strong pair of ladies. I'm sorry that I couldn't save your little brother but I promise that I'll get both of you home."

Naruto whispered quietly enough that Elia couldn't hear him but the sleeping girl looked to respond to his promise when she shifted herself just that much closer to the warmth being provided by his body.

The pooled blood made the underside of her footwear slick but Elia refused to be denied from getting where she wanted to go. To prepare for what came next she tried to pull in a few breathes but no amount of preparation had her ready for what was waiting in that cradle. Pain clutched her soul and the flood of tears from her eyes followed afterward.

Elia's tears turned out to be helpful in a way because they prevented her from observing anything more than a blurry mix of lines. Dropping her head down near her folded hands, the grieving woman took what little time she possessed to mutter a number of prayers to The Seven on behalf of her son, Aegon.

She required the better portion of ten minutes to finish up what she needed to say to her deceased child and she was granted that time. When things settled and Elia turned back around she saw Naruto looking consistently at the open door. As soon as she was close enough, Elia was handed Rhaenys. "We need to get going. There's a lot of people starting to climb the tower."

By his count, there was somewhere from fifteen to twenty-five, a number that was too high for him to fight in a closed space like this. Not only did he have the mother and daughter with him but he was also low on kunai. Both factors made any kind of fight unadvisable.

Finding it too hard to believe that Naruto could know such things, a squinting Elia was a second from asking him how he knew the things he did when the blonde put his voice to practice first. "Are there any secret passages around here? Something that the royal family could use if things went south… kind of like they are now?"

"No! There's nothing like that here!" Though she felt panic, the Princess kept her voice on the low end so she didn't wake up her darling daughter.

"There's no way that a Keep built from the mind of The Conqueror doesn't have at least one secret passage built into it." Aegon I Targaryen may have had the acumen of his sisters and a trio of dragons to aid him but on his own, he was a shrewd man who thought of as many possibilities as he could. That included what he'd need if his glorious Red Keep was sieged.

He searched behind dressers, under the only throw rug on the floor, and everywhere in between. It was obvious that the whiskered individual was hellbent on discovering what he thought to be true. Things eventually escalated to the point where Elia was tired of watching Naruto waste their precious time. "Naruto! If what you said is true then we need to find an actual way out of the tower or else all of us are de-"

Her tirade was torn away at the knees before it got the chance to build momentum thanks to a strong squall of wind that blew a stream of thick smoke from the sacked Landing into the lofty tower. Being the unfortunate party that was talking at this exact moment, Elia was the one who had the dubious honor of inhaling some of that pollution. The smoke brought her to a coughing fit.

_Whooosh_

"Hey, did you hear that?"

Elia was too occupied with attempting to quell the results of a siege from filling her lungs further to answer Naruto right away, but when she did eventually manage a response it was one that was choked out. "What are you talking about? We don't have any time to look for some escape route you made up in your head!"

"Hold on, give me a second, I know that I heard air moving somewhere through here. We just need to find where." Naruto went straight into the process of frisking the walls for any kind of hidden mechanism or concealed button built within the structure. He was set to look behind the open door when a smooth hexagon shape in the bricks beneath his feet clicked.

A prevailing sense of panic began to intermingle with the frustrations that Elia already felt. She was about to yell at her savior for wasting so much time when there happened to be a string of clicks. Shortly after that, a hatch made of red bricks swung up from the floor. There it was, a hatch down into the tower. "W-What?" Just because she saw it exist didn't make it any easier for her to believe what she was looking at.

Gazing into the dark depths that laid beneath the secret door, Naruto's blue eyes were able to decipher the minimal outline of the steps that were only illuminated because of the light from the bedroom. "That would be one secret passage, my lady~" It was childish to feel what he felt but Naruto couldn't help but feel satisfied in being proven right.

She was able to regain the poise of someone befitting her station quickly enough. With a huff, she stepped towards the dark pit with an understandable weariness. The only positive was her ability to see the steps… if barely. This lack of total sight made her a touch nervous about proceeding down. "I don't think this is safe."

Naruto nodded his head in agreement with her assessment. This secret path was most certainly not safe, doubly so when the door above it was closed, but from the options they had left this was the best. "Maybe not but this is something we need to do. Go down the first handful of steps then I'll go second and close the hatch. Once it's down I'll take the lead after that."

Elia clutched her daughter tighter to her chest and took a deep breath. After delivering the breath held in her lungs she stepped down into the dank descent. Every step was a peculiar balancing act because of the thin steps and their winding nature but it wasn't long before she was far enough in for Naruto to slip in and shut the door behind them with a solid _clack_.

As the dark devoured them, Naruto carefully inched his way past Elia so that he was standing on the step in front of her. "Okay my lady, I'm going to take your wrist to help guide you through the dark. Is that alright with you?" He asked in a quiet whisper, a sound natural for a place like this.

"Yes"

His nod in response was obscured by the darkness but his reaching out to take hold of her wrist gently was more than an answer is its own right. He put a kunai in his other hand so that he could use the point of it to follow the wall on his right side. With the sharp tip of his blade, he was able to use the contours of the structure to show him the way he should escort himself and the two women trailing behind him.

The darkness intensified the relative silence to the degree that it was made much more obvious. Sure, there was the sound of their feet tapping off the stairs and the sound from Naruto's kunai dragging against the wall but the level of noise was nothing when contrasted against what should be expected between two people.

Elia's body and mind were starting to bog down as the adrenaline that fed through her system began to run its course. Meanwhile, Naruto was quiet because he was completely zoned in on his task of navigating them through twisting terrain that was as uneven as it was hazardous.

This kind of atmosphere made it easy for the pair of adults to work their way through the pitch black corridors in nothing but utter silence for just over three hours. The mood survived even in spite of the change in terrain which went from declining down to a more even ground. From that point, it wasn't more than an hour before bleeding rays of light came down from the front… and since he was leading the expedition Naruto bore the light first and winced.

"We're finally out" Naruto felt every iota of fatigue formed at the end of Elia's words but opted not to say anything nor did he stop her as she ran right by him towards the very distinct exit that was waiting for them some twenty yards out front.

Not long after her, Naruto emerged from the mouth of the cave. He was welcomed with a melting orange sky and crisp air supplemented by the aromas coming off the Blackwater Rush, a river running its course just down the hill from where he and Elia were standing. 'I really missed the smell of fresh air.' He kept the thought to himself so he didn't ruin the moment while a smile spread out over his face.

"Finally" Her body was incapable of taking it any longer. The stress mounted to the point where it was finally able to take command of her actions. The exhausted woman swayed on her feet and she would've fallen down the hill along with Rhaenys had it not been for Naruto slipping in front of them and catching them with a sparse grunt.

The blonde braced Rhaenys on the right portion of his chest. With the aid of one arm, he was able to hold the girl against his chest and shoulder. Naruto worked his other arm to loop the limb around Elia's waist. Holding her steady against the other half of his torso, he looked over his shoulder and down the dirt hill that was like a cliff at his heels. He breathed out a sigh of relief when things went still again.

"That was close" He rocked his head with a slightly tired smile. When he looked back around at both mother and daughter it was to speak, though he needed a moment to gather himself first. It may have only been heard by himself but he felt it needed to be said. "You two rest up, I can shoulder your burdens for a bit at the very least."

**END**

* * *

**Writer's Note:** There we have it, the infamous King's Landing Sack told through my story. The only reason that one of the children died was The Mountain's actions in that tower act as a very strong plot device for the division between Dorne and the new King and Queen in the real Game of Thrones and in this story as well.

We also got our first taste, and I do mean first of Naruto versus Gregor Clegane. Maybe things would be different if The Mountain used his sword and not his hands… or maybe it wouldn't? I'm sure there will be some people upset over the first skirmish between the two but what can ya do? Can't please everyone! Well, we will have to wait and see what else Naruto has planned for baby Aegon's killer.


	4. Starfall

**Writer's Note:** Normally I put these at the end of the chapter so as to not take anything away from the chapter however I felt the need to address the responses to the last chapter right off the bat. Whenever I write something I want my readers to feel emotions. It could be happiness, sadness, anxiousness, or even anger. Plenty of you are angry that the Mountain didn't die and that's great because that means you are (or were) invested in what is happening. To those people, I have no problems with.

I do have a problem with the people who are using reviews and PMs to send personal attacks on me as a person. You have your right to respond to what I write just like I have a right to write but when you start coming at me as a person that's when problems come up. So 'boycott' my story if you want but keep your negative emotions to yourself. They aren't productive in the real world.

Finally, to the people who continue to trust me and show support for the story, I haven't forgotten about you guys and gals. I wanted to save my message to you till last. That message is a simple thank you for giving the story a chance and reading this far! On to the story.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I hope everyone has recovered from the finale. Anyways, I don't own Naruto or Game of Thrones.

* * *

_A New Game_

**Chapter Four: Starfall**

* * *

**Year 283 AC**

It shouldn't have come as a surprise that Naruto found himself preferring to travel solo simply because it was much more lenient on him. Traveling with not one but two unconscious people made things difficult because they made moving infinitely more sluggish than what he was used to. Every corner needed to be double checked and his back was constantly being watched because their pace was one that could effortlessly be tracked by anyone with the talent.

He was thankful that there weren't any troubles waiting for them in the forest but as they advanced through the woods it only led to a more problematic situation. He couldn't set up a camp for the night without putting Elia and Rhaenys in danger which meant they'd have to settle for a more human sleeping arrangement. To acquire such a place he needed to figure out an excuse that made him carrying two unconscious people not appear to be suspicious.

Naruto was just happy to have his cloak again. The cloak was perfect for hiding Elia's identity since she was by far the most recognizable from the trio. He also hid Rhaenys' identity by ensuring that her face was kept against his chest and other than the strange look from the inn's keeper his attempt to hide them looked like it was working out.

The blonde did have to spin a quick like to make sure that they ended up with the room he paid for. His lie made Elia his wife and Rhaenys their child, and as a family, they needed a room because his wife and daughter passed out after extended travel. Invoking some pity and paying with gold dragons made for the perfect combination. There were no further questions or looks from the innkeeper. The three of them had their room. Rhaenys and Elia were asleep on the bed while Naruto was sitting at the desk, his fingers tapping on the wood just beneath the extinguished candle.

'It's going to take another few days to make it into Dorne from where we are now if we keep walking. I'm not sure how we will get to Sunspear but that's something I can talk to Elia about when she wakes up.' Then once he was done with his excursion to the south he could start planning what he'd do after that. Oh, who was he kidding? There's no way that he'd plan out anything. Plans might fall on top of him but until that happened he'd do things as he always had… by improvising.

On the bright side, Naruto never went out of his way to visit Sunspear due to it being so far out of the way but with Elia and her daughter at his side, there wasn't a better time than the present to check off the Dornish capital from his traveling ticket.

Tucking a hand into his armor, Naruto pulled out a trifecta of kunai that he then placed in a single-file line on the desk in front of him. The cluster of kunai on the table were the remnants of the supply he went to Dorne with. The number was certainly low but considering that he was alive and well he'd have to call the whole thing a success. 'Sooner rather than later I'm going to need to visit Essos and have more of these babies forged.'

From his very first fight to at some point last year, Naruto always found it to be a struggle when it came to finding a weapon that felt right. He used a quarterstaff, an ax, a war hammer, a flail, a mace, and even three variants of bows but none of them spoke to the blonde in a way that he could call satisfactory.

That void was filled during a trip to the Free City of Myr where Naruto happened upon a brother and sister blacksmithing combination. Their operation was a modest one with plenty of wares to choose from but it was their specially made daggers that Naruto favored. The kunai was longer than a typical throwing dagger and much more streamlined with a better weight when compared to its typical counterpart which made it perfect for a melee weapon and as a projectile.

'I should have left them with an order already in place so I could swing by and just pick them up. I guess I have some other things to help me in the meantime.' He did have an ace or two up his sleeves, being a one trick pony just wouldn't do.

The killer of men was prevented from revealing one of those aces when a soft yawn brought attention to the fact that one of the two princesses had awoken from their slumber. It was Rhaenys sitting up with her mouth pulled open and her eyes dragged shut. When her eyes did open it was Naruto in her line of sight. It was Naruto's presence that made her lock up.

Naruto forcibly kept the glower from his face. The sunshine haired male was appalled that a girl so young woke up only to taste terror. He had an idea how he could fix that but first he needed to get the young noblewoman chatting. With that purpose in mind, he got up from the desk and hunkered down on the floor next to the side of the bed Rhaenys was closest to.

Sitting on the floor made Naruto look much tinier and it also made Rhaenys peek over the edge of the bed to view him. It didn't take long before his blue hues had the privilege to meet stares with her wary brown. Having her attention, he smiled nice and wide. "Hi!"

Rhaenys swallowed the spit that rested heavily in her mouth and lent her weary voice out around her torpid tongue. "Hi?"

He wasn't stalled in the slightest by her less than enthusiastic response to his greeting. Naruto's bright grin was very much whole. "Do you remember me?" He asked in what he believed was an encouraging voice.

Looking back at her mother and obtaining some comfort in her being as close as she was, Rhaenys nodded her head fractionally. "You saved me from…" She didn't have the heart to complete the sentence so instead, she wordlessly nodded her head in confirmation.

Naruto set his hands on the insides of his knees before he nodded his head back at Rhaenys and her almost statement. "Yup, that was me, but you were really awesome too! You were crazy brave for your mom!"

His progress made was shown in the form of how far he got Rhaenys to lift her head away from the bed. Before he was only able to see her eyes but now Naruto was able to see almost all of her face. "Really?" She asked with her diminutive voice.

"For sure, your mom must be really proud of you!" He stated with a smile that was too bright for an assassin of all people to possess. Naruto knew that if he had a kid then he'd want them to be as strong as the girl in front of him. He saw no harm in telling her that her mother felt the same.

The young girl wasn't used to interacting with people outside of her mother and the lack of experience showed. A small bit of praise like that was enough to bring a blush out on her face. Suddenly feeling bashful, Rhaenys looked off to the side where Naruto's smiling face wasn't. "Thank you," She said much too quietly to be anything but embarrassed.

"You're welcome… so what's your name? My name's Naruto!" Talking with a kid was different from talking to an adult. When talking with a child it was up to the adult in the conversation to guide its content or else circles would be spoken.

"I'm Rhaenys Targaryen." Unlike most people of noble birth, Rhaenys introduced herself with all clarity of a rodent. It was extremely clear that what she experienced in the Red Keep was still affecting her behavior.

"Nice to meet you Rhaenys Targaryen. I'm going to bring you and your mom home!" Naruto informed or maybe reminded Rhaenys of the promise he made to her some ten hours ago when she was asleep in his arms. Where Rhaenys was quiet and reserved, Naruto continued to act with a bright exuberance that dared Rhaenys to join him.

Elia Martell's daughter only knew one place as home in her life and that was the tower that she and her family were contained to in the Red Keep. Theirs was a setting far from suitable for a child to grow up in and it showed. When Rhaenys answered him it was with apprehensive thoughts of that particular place. "Home?"

He supposed that it was careless of him to not consider the Red Keep when thinking of places that Rhaenys would identify as a home, but he didn't believe that the damage was irreparable. "No, not _that_ home. We're going to Sunspear!" His excitement wasn't difficult to create, and it was his hope that a similar enthusiasm would find its way to the young princess.

Naruto's gambit worked like a charm. The fear that had a home in her eyes was replaced by a level of wonder that only a child was able to produce. "Wow, really?" She always wanted to visit the place that her Momma told her so many stories about, a place where her Uncles and family was.

"Yes really, first we need to wait for your mom to wake up. What do you say Rhaenys? Do you want to do something cool?" The mischievous grin that crept over Naruto's lips suggested that he had the perfect idea in mind for how they could pass the time.

* * *

The former wife of Rhaegar Targaryen was stirred from her slumber by the sound of her darling daughter laughing. She was actually laughing. Elia shot up from her bed as the memories of where they were last came back to dominate previously peaceful thoughts.

She was very much awake now and as such she saw Rhaenys standing on their savior's shoulders as he skipped about the room. Rhaenys was evidently enjoying herself as bursts of joyous laughter rained down from what was a very different perspective for the small child.

Her voice may have been raspy from only just waking up but that didn't stop Elia from calling out to her child. "Rhae…" The slightly misconstrued voice of the woman on the bed stopped what the smiling pair was doing. In tandem, they turned to look at her with harmonized expressions of curiosity that almost made Elia smile.

Knowing what the girl wanted without needing to be told, the blonde lowered Rhaenys back to the floor. Her feet had hardly touched the ground before she dove at her mother with a short squeal of happiness that was only suppressed because Rhaenys' face was buried into the hug.

The day was something of a blur in her mind but Elia could have sworn that Rhaenys was dirtier now than she remembered. With a critical eye cast upon her wiggling daughter, she decided it was time to ask Rhaenys about it. "And just what have you been up to Rhae?"

Eager to share, Rhaenys opened her mouth to tell her mom all about the fun she had with Naruto but stopped when she remembered what Naruto told her. Shutting her mouth then grinning, the young girl inclined up and pecked her mom on the cheek. "Nothing Momma!"

Naruto and Rhaenys spent the two hours where Elia was sleeping and Rhaenys was not having all kinds of fun. This amounted to Naruto putting the young lady on his shoulders and introducing her to the fast-paced life of traveling through trees. Rhaenys easily accepted that hundred minutes or so as the most fun she ever had.

Any doubts inside of Elia were quickly smoothed out upon receiving her darling daughter's affection. Moving on from that, Elia directed her next question towards the blonde man who got them to where they were now. "Where are we Naruto?"

"We're somewhere near the middle point of the Stormlands at an Inn that I found a ways off the main roads." Making the personal choice to further his survival, Naruto opted to not tell her that in this place they were man and wife.

Again Elia found herself short of thought when Naruto surprised her with something he said. The first instance came when he said he wanted nothing for saving her, then there was the detection of Lannister men coming up the tower, and now they were in the Stormlands? Logically it made no sense but the unspoken part of her was already accepting the blonde's word as fact. She only had one word for him. "How?"

Naruto tried to hide his fatigue by giving the woman a succinct answer. "I've always been fast." The run to this point had taken its toll on Naruto and blitzing about the area with Rhaenys on his shoulders only exasperated his fatigue but the girl's laughter was more than worth any tiredness he may be exhibiting.

Rhaenys started to hum a tune from one of her favorite tales. Her hummed out voice dragged Elia's attention down because she thought Rhaenys might have something to say. This distraction allowed Naruto step in and direct the fledgling conversation in another direction. "Elia, what's the best way to get to Sunspear from here?"

Since she knew the lands of Dorne like she did the back of her hand, Elia was able to conjure up a quick, suitable answer. "Starfall" It was the closest place to the border meaning the least amount of travel and it was the home of her best friend, Ashara Dayne. Their arrival would be welcomed and they'd be protected until they found a way to make it to Sunspear.

As someone who was not nearly as familiar with the geography of the south, Naruto yielded to her expertise. "Sounds like a plan, I suggest that we leave in a few hours." The sun was only starting to rise which meant they had some time to eat breakfast and maybe find a horse to help ease the burden of travel by speeding it up.

Someone who wasn't holding back their excitement was an over the moon Rhaenys. "Momma, I'm so excited that Naruto is taking us home! I want to see our family!" The young girl's innocent comment was bolstered with a bright smile. Clearly, her time bonding with Naruto did wonders for her mindset.

The happiness was contagious and Elia found herself smiling down at her beaming daughter. "You must be patient Rhae, okay?" She told her child who looked far from focused on what she was saying. Sighing, she moved her attention to Naruto once more. "You look like you're in need of this bed. Are you sure that you're alright for such a long period of travel?"

The assassin waved off the concern with a snort. "One more day without some sleep won't kill me." Not wanting to hear any more on the subject, he hastily left the room to see about securing breakfast for the three of them.

'You're not the one I'm worried about.'

* * *

_Fifteen Hours Later_

Elia, Naruto, and Rhaenys were on the home stretch of their journey to Starfall Castle, the tower of said castle growing ever closer on the horizon. With the help of a substantial amount of gold, he was able to procure a horse that Rhaenys had called Silver in honor of the silver mane the mare sported. Elia and Rhaenys rode on top of Silver while Naruto led from the front with a hand on the horse's reins, not unlike a shepherd and its herd.

Rhaenys was occupied by playing with the mare's mane and Elia was focused on Rhaenys but Naruto was much more interested in admiring the beauty of the Red Mountains that Starfall was built among. There wasn't much in the way of vegetation on the red slopes but the memory of how the sun shined on the rocks was more than enough to make up for the lack of green. It was the red that made the Palestone Sword tower that much more radiant with its vibrant white structure.

The scents of the nearby Summer Sea started to intrude upon Naruto's senses when something much more demanding came forth. It wasn't a man or a woman but rather a beast of massive proportions. Because in front of him was a blockade in the form of a ten foot bear with brown fur. Its mere presence struck fear into both child and horse but thankfully Elia was there to soothe both with a gentle hand and soft whispers.

With whispers, whimpers, and whinnies behind him, Naruto stood steadfast as the only thing between the pair of women on the horse and the hungry bear. When he finally took a step forward it provoked the bear to rear up on its hind legs. The bear's burly body blocked out what little light there was left and its roar was lough enough that it caused some loose soil to slide down the mountainous hills.

Its nature to impose upon smaller things also meant that it was exposed. Particularly it was the underbelly that was vulnerable to a swift barrage of Dragonglass needles that punctured through the thick fur and into the bear's throat. Unlike it how approached, the bear fell back into the dirt totally silent apart from the sound of its body hitting the path which created a minor pulse of dust and dirt that spread out in a ring-like formation.

Sensing something happened, Rhaenys peeked out over the head of Silver. "Did you k-kill it?" She asked her question in what was barely a whisper. The bear may have wished them harm but she didn't want to see it die.

Naruto alleviated her fears when he actually climbed onto the bear's back. Perched just behind its head, he patted the big bear on the top of its head which caused the creature to snort loudly in its forced sleep. It was a reaction that made Rhaenys giggle because it was a funny sound.

There was both relief and exasperation in the sigh that worked its way out of Elia's mouth. "If you're done we should keep moving."

Despite what Elia thought Naruto did not move from where he was sitting on the bear. It was actually a surprisingly warm spot. "I think we might be closer than you think." Naruto then gestured over to the left where a man wearing the sigil of House Dayne was watching them with a bow on his back.

"He is correct. There is a welcoming party waiting for your arrival at Starfall, Lady Elia." With the message delivered he turned around and ran out of their line of sight, which wasn't really all that hard to do with all the uneven ground surrounding them.

"That guy has been following us for an hour," Naruto said more for the prosperity of his fellow adult than for himself. With a satisfied smile settled in place, he took the horse by the lead again and carefully navigated the skittish creature around the sleeping bear that the horse still saw as a threat.

Thanks in part to their leisurely pace the trio took twenty minutes to finally make it to the entrance of Starfall Castle where a procession of people was waiting for them, and at the front of that group was Ashara Dayne.

Ashara Dayne was a woman who was an embarrassment of riches when it came to terms of elegance and beauty. Her height only made the beauty of the woman that much grander because it gave more for her luxurious, dark hair to compliment. Like the striking purple of her eyes, Ashara was dressed in a fine purple dress that was cut to show off the area north of her bust and her slender neck which was wrapped with an elegant, purple choker that was dripping with three laces of pearls tailing south towards her chest.

And as of this particular moment, her subtly painted pink lips were illuminating her already gorgeous face with a smile that could rival the sun when it came to radiance. She was truly fitting of the title, Lady of Starfall. "Elia, I can't express how happy I am to see you!"

Reflecting her smile if not a bit smaller, Elia helped Rhaenys off the horse and went to greet her best friend with a hug that may as well have gone on for hours in the minds of Elia and Ashara. "Gods, I have missed you Ashara," Elia admitted into the side of her friend's nape.

When Elia remembered that she wasn't alone on this trip to Starfall she pulled away from Ashara. Turning her eyes to Rhaenys, the mother gently nudged her daughter between her and Ashara. "Go on, introduce yourself Rhae~"

Gripping the clothing on her body just over her hips, the young princess did as she was taught and performed a curtsey. "Hello, my name is Rhaenys."

Ashara was instantly smitten with the adorable actions of Rhaenys and began to gush over the cuteness of the girl she took to calling _Little Lady_.

Ashara wanted so dearly to visit Elia when news of Rhaenys came down the vine but her brother always forbid her from going anywhere near King's Landing so this was kind of like a dream come true.

Lady Dayne's praise quickly reasserted that Rhaenys wasn't familiar with dealing with people outside of her mother because Rhaenys' entire face flushed red like a tomato, something not even hiding behind her mother's legs could stop.

Basking in Rhaenys' reaction, the two noble ladies burst out in competing laughs that mixed together into one smooth sound. Once she got herself under control, Ashara took Elia's hand and guided her to the open gates of Starfall. "Welcome to Starfall. Come in, we have plenty of things to talk about and let's see about finding you some new clothes~."

* * *

_Starfall Castle_

Naruto filled the entirety of his last two days roaming along the grounds of Starfall. He only required those two days to recognize that this was somewhere that he was very out of place staying in. Nearly every person he had met thus far was so fraudulent in hopes they might gain some semblance of favor. To his non-noble ears, it felt that if they weren't bitching they weren't happy.

He was willing to bet that if he handed these people literal gold then they'd go on to complain that it wasn't shined the right way… but by some fat chance that it was then he'd assume that they would take it and not say a word of thanks. It was actually revolting enough that it had his skin crawling as he thought about the parasites he was inundated by.

These people -and he used that term loosely- were the cause of the ammunition that took hold of the blonde thoughts and brought down a tide of thoughts dark enough to create a vicious smile on the face of a man who was normally pretty positive. The way they spoke of people like they were pieces in a game really pissed Naruto off. It almost reached the boiling point where he would have butchered them all. Their saving grace came in the form of the duty that he felt towards Elia and Rhaenys.

His actions may have been controlled to a degree yet the same couldn't be said for his mind which was a mess of random thoughts and schemes. During his two day tarry in Starfall, he hadn't so much as opened his mouth past the occasional yawn he let out… and it wasn't as difficult to do as one might imagine. Since Elia and Rhaenys were being drawn in every direction by aspiring Lords and Ladies he was left with no one to really talk to, not that this bothered him.

With his time devoted to wandering through the halls and rooms of Starfall, Naruto had discovered plenty about the castle's layout. He had gotten to the point where he could traverse through the castle with the silence of a shadow. He also learned of all the ways he could escape the castle should the need arise. Right now, however, the enigmatic blonde found himself in his favorite place in the whole castle, an opening near the center of the structure where a trio of trees had grown.

It was here that he happened to come upon a bow and some arrows that sat unattended to on a stone bench about twenty or so yards out from the trees. It was the trees that had targets attached to their trunks, presumptively for the bow and arrows. Seeing no harm in helping himself, the assassin took up the bow and settled the quiver filled with arrows on his hip.

Letting his lungs fill themselves on a deep breath that steadied the fast beat of his irritated heart, he lined up three arrows on the bow's string before turning the bow so that he was bracing it parallel to the ground. He refined his sharp focus even further and yanked back on the string so that it was ready to fire. That's when he released his breath and ushered three arrows that cut through the air prior to piercing each of the three targets dead center of their red centers.

Any form of achievement he may have felt was quickly killed by visions of those mouthy nobles that came to his mind. They were memories that quickly turned Naruto's eyes into matching pits of frost. Using those faces as motivation, he went for his next sequence of shots.

His hands were a blur of movement. In one instant he was able to not only reposition the bow into a more traditional style but Naruto also notched a new arrow from the quiver that was… quivering on his hip. The assassin's aim snapped to the left and with no hesitation, an arrow was sent. It hadn't even had time to strike before he flicked to the right where that target got a similar treatment before Naruto ended with a stiff arrow straight down the center.

When all was said and done, the arrows spoke for themselves. Not only was every single arrow perfectly aimed but the original arrows were split straight down the middle by their successors. Their wooden shafts were ripped apart evenly and left to curl around the arrow that came after. Then there were the arrowheads of said arrows. The second arrows were almost all the way inside of the targets and the original ones were wholly buried into the targets thanks to the extra force created by the second barrage of arrows.

"I don't believe I've ever seen anyone with such a clean shot. It's impressive to watch."

Naruto knew that someone was there long before they spoke so he was far from surprised when Ashara made comment on his showcase of marksman ability. Letting his body lax some, he threw the bow over his shoulder before he turned to face the beautiful Lady Dayne. "There's nothing impressive about hitting a stationary target."

Ashara forced herself to take her eyes away from the surprising depth in Naruto's blue sights. She found her excuse to do so in the targets that were left punctured with Naruto's arrows. "My brother was trained by the greatest archers in Dorne and even he'd have trouble replicating that level of precision even if he took his time." The purple-eyed woman remarked with a glassy, faraway stare that tarnished the clarity of her crystalline eyes and it had everything to do with the memories of her brother Arthur.

While aware of the melancholy in her look, he decided to not comment on it since it was by no means any of his business. "What is it that you want from me, Lady Dayne?" His words were direct and they were slightly on the more rude side of things due to his disposition which was frayed by the castle's toxic upper class.

The beauty's eyes reflected a level of annoyance that buried her sadness and that was due to the way that she was addressed. She managed to keep her little known temper in check, if only barely. "Is it so unbelievable that I'd want to talk with the man who bested the Mountain? Even if that sounds absurdly impossible in its own right."

Her snippiness and doubt only contributed to the nasty brew of emotions building within an angry Naruto. "If I didn't beat him do you think that Elia and Rhaenys would be here and not in some vulture pit outside of King's Landing?" He knew his remark was very snide, however, there wasn't a part of him that felt bad about being so short with the Dornish noble.

Those words provided a conclusive message that painted a picture which made Ashara's face go ashen. The image built up in her mind quickly shifted to include her brother's face, and that only made her horrified look curl down into an unflattering scowl. Directing some of the blame for what was happening to her and her family at a faultless Naruto, Ashara barked out an order. "Who do you think you're talking to? You will respect me as the Lady of this house!"

Taking her huff for what it was, Naruto countered with a chain of words that were just as freezing cold as the aspect in his eyes. "Respect from an assassin like me means that you're a dead woman walking. Is that what you want my lady?" Whether or not it was a coincidence didn't change the fact that a bone-chilling wind broke through the stagnant space alongside Naruto's threat.

Lady Dayne did her best to brush away the bumps that rose on her arms from that cool wind. She wasn't certain how to explain it but she supposed it felt like she was underwater. That was how tense she felt. Ashara refused to be some feeble girl. She would be strong like her family was before her and that meant standing defiant in the face of even assassins. "What I want is to know why you didn't kill the Mountain!? And don't bother with that same excuse you threw at Elia!"

Naruto spun around so that his back was now facing the angry woman. Instead of answering her demands he took aim at the targets once more, arrows readied to fly. This time it wasn't a target that he saw. No, he was staring at faces and they were looking back at him. He let the projectiles loose and one after the other they struck the spaces where the eyes were located in the faces.

_THUD_

_THUD_

_THUD_

"Killing Gregor Clegane wasn't enough. The world needs to understand what kind of monster he is. They need to know what the Lannisters allow him to do and command him to do. Rampant murder and merciless rape… and all of it is buried because Tywin Lannister is his shield. Well not anymore! When I'm done with him no powerful family or Warden will be able to preserve him from the storm that is coming for his hide. A quiet death in the halls of the Red Keep where he is able to hide isn't **enough**!"

Yes, he could have slaughtered the Mountain as a farmer did with their pig but why? His death could be utilized for something so much bigger than a moment of red revenge. The Mountain could be used to change the entire Seven Kingdoms and if Naruto needed to look like a bad guy to turn the world on its ear... well then he'd proudly wear that scarlet letter.

Ashara was forced to revise her views about Naruto. At first, she believed him to be a fool who thought that people could change, but that's not what he had in mind… not even close. His vision was so great that solving the unsolvable symptom was not enough. According to him, the only end to this came when the whole system came crashing down. It was… _ambitious_.

The noble inside of her should've been concerned about what that kind of attitude could mean for her and hers. Yet the part of her that lost so much to this damned game of politics only wished to see how much of the world this assassin could set on fire. In the end, she decided to give him a response that was a blend of both of those factions. "People will blame you for not killing that monster when you had your chance. Anything that he does from here until he is stopped is solely on your head."

How Naruto's fingers moved against the tail of one of those arrows in the quiver and the tightening of his grip suggested that he wasn't nearly as calm as he tried to come off as. "Look, I'm not some hero who rides in on a white horse. I can't save everyone. If you or anyone else wants to blame me for the choices of anyone I don't kill then that's fine but don't expect me to break down because some people might not like me."

Pursing her lips in the aftermath of his answer, Ashara looked sternly at Naruto's broad back. "It's clear to me that you're no fan of mine. Why is that?" The fact was Ashara Dayne was used to men being enamored with her from a single glance. That's why Naruto's unwillingness to even take the time to look at her wounded her pride so badly. Why wouldn't he be dying to speak with her like every man that came before him? Men that included the likes of Eddard Stark and Barristan Selmy.

"Being here in _your _castle is a reminder why I detest nobles. You bunch speak as if other people are merely playthings, pieces to be moved in a game that you made up in your heads to make yourselves feel more important than you are. It's sickening. Now if you'll excuse me." Knowing that he couldn't say anymore without squandering what was left of his cool, he marched away from the hushed lady in purple.

Ashara ached to scream at Naruto. She wanted to holler at him and let him know that she knew what it meant to lose something, what it meant to feel pain. 'You… you don't know anything about me!'

However, instead of bringing her soul out to bare and getting something sorely needed off her chest there was only further silence and tears as she watched the silent-footed assassin walk away from her. 'I can't do this anymore. It's not worth it, not without my family.'

* * *

_Past Midnight, Starfall_

The nature of his life turned Naruto into something of a nocturnal creature which is precisely why instead of sleeping he was in bed reading from a small, black book. Reading was one of the few ways Naruto preferred to uncompress which is what he was trying to do as he monitored the waves shattering in the Summer Sea that existed below Starfall.

He was set to flip another page in his book when the door to his room slowly pulled open. His reaction to whatever was coming into his room was quelled when he found a sleepy-eyed Rhaenys peeking around the edge of his door. "Are you awake Naruto?" Even her voice was sluggish and sounded ready to tucker out.

Rhaenys being there with her eyes half open and a blanket dragged behind her was too much for Naruto to do anything but smile at her. "Yes I am Rhaenys, why aren't you in bed sleeping?" He asked gently.

"Uhm… well, Momma came running into the room with Lady Ashara who was crying. Momma and Lady Ashara were talking and I couldn't fall back asleep." She paused there to look at the ground near her feet. Then she looked up leveling him with the most unfair of expressions, big eyes and all. "Can I sleep in here with you, pleaseee?"

For all of the fire he held earlier in the night when talking with Ashara he may as well have been composed of wet paper now because Naruto almost instantly folded beneath Rhaenys' imploring eyes. "Sure you can."

No measure of sleepiness could prevent a happy expression from blooming on Rhaenys' face. The young lady quickly shut Naruto's door and climbed into the bed with Naruto. Leaving her blanket, she wormed under the covers to lay against the side of Naruto's body. With her head on his stomach, she sighed and closed her eyes contently. Thanks to Naruto sitting against the headboard this was actually the perfect position for the sleepy one in pajamas.

The warmth that rose from Naruto's body welcomed Rhaenys and that in turn left her sighing comfortably. Her reaction prompted Naruto to reach down and run his fingers through the brown head of hair resting on his abdomen.

Unaware that this was the identical thing that Elia did to help Rhaenys relax, it was only a matter of moments before his combing of her hair put Rhaenys to sleep. Her soft snores quickly packed the room as she held onto the side of his body. Smiling at her, Naruto whispered a quick goodnight to her before moving back to the text in his other hand.

An undetermined amount of time passed before Naruto's door opened again and this time it was the mother of Rhaenys who rushed in. "Naruto, have you seen Rhae?" The inquiry came out before the worried woman even bothered to look into the room. The answer to her question was obvious but nevertheless, he gestured with his chin to the bundle saddled up at his side under the blanket.

"Rhaenys said something about you and Lady Dayne talking, said that she couldn't fall back asleep." His simple statement made Elia grimace at the thought of what would have befallen her best friend if she was a few seconds later.

"What did she tell you?" Keeping her voice down to a murmur, Elia stood in the doorway to Naruto's chamber, her body blocking what little candlelight that would've trickled in from the halls adjacent to his room.

"Nothing more than what I've already said. Why? Is there something more to add?"

The Viper Princess of Dorne slouched down some from her previously upright stance. Heaving out a sigh, Elia started with the story of what transpired. "I was on my way back from getting a drink when I stumbled upon Ashara ready to climb Palestone Tower. Her hair was a hot mess and her eyes were red from her tears. I heard her talking about throwing herself from the tower when she started to climb out a window to do just that, but I stopped her."

Whereas the pity on Elia's face was evident, Naruto didn't show much of a reaction past the widening of his eyes. Internally he did feel some guilt for how heavy-handed he was with Ashara earlier in the night. "How is she now?"

"She is sleeping in my room but if you want to know any more than that you need to ask her directly."

Naruto nodded his head, accepting the confidentiality that she wanted to maintain. "Do you want to take Rhaenys with you?"

All Elia needed was one look at her precious baby to tell Naruto no with a shake of her head that made her brown hair swing. "If it's okay with you, I'd like to leave her here so she doesn't wake up again."

His hand strayed down to tenderly smooth out a portion of Rhaenys' hair that was matted up from being pressed against his body for too long. "That's fine, she can stay here with me. I'll keep her safe." He added to reassure the woman who was only five, nearing six days out from losing her son.

For the first time in their knowing each other, Elia truly gave Naruto a smile that was for him alone. "You're a real lifesaver Naruto. Thank you so much, for everything." Leaving the Landing, being around familiar places, and friends started to mellow her out to the kind of person she was prior to the war. She cried a bit more than she did before but that much could be expected with wounds as fresh as hers.

Returning her smile with one of his own, Naruto nodded his head to her. "It's no problem, really. Goodnight Elia."

"Goodnight Naruto."

**END**

* * *

**Writer's Note II: **If you're looking for an image of Ashara then take look at her page on 'A Wiki of Ice and Fire'


	5. A Return Home

**Disclaimer:** Another chapter, another admission that I don't own a thing regarding these properties.

* * *

_A New Game_

**Chapter Five: A Return Home**

* * *

**Year 283 AC**

The weather last night may have been serene but Ashara Dayne was a storm of emotions that night, just like the rainstorm that fell on Dorne this morning. She took her time walking through the halls of her family's ancestral castle while recalling memories of last night, a night that was almost her last.

_It was an awful nightmare that roused Ashara from what was a previously restful night. The picture started with her on a battlefield but no matter what she did no one seemed able to hear or see her. She meandered through the sites of battle until she stumbled upon Ned Stark running her brother through the gut with a Valyrian sword that she remembered as Ice. Over and over again, she heard the wet sound of the sword plunging into Arthur's body. She could even hear it over her incessant screams for Ned to stop._

_How many times was the motion repeated? Was it a hundred times? Was it a thousand times? In the end, it didn't matter because each time that moment was finished the northerner turned his dark visage onto her horrified expression, not that she was staring at anything but the spreading blood blossom that soaked her brother's stomach._

_When that cruel cycle finally broke itself it was because she woke up with hot tears already drizzling down her delicate cheekbones. "You were a fool. You were a fool to love that man, the man that murdered your kin." _

_Ashara was whispering but she didn't need to be any louder than that to repeat her mantra of self-depreciation and loathing. Her repeated words only made the loathing and tears run deeper till it got to the point that she left her room and strayed through Starfall like a haunting specter tied to the castle's grounds. She was a ghost that had a gentle tap and a path of remorse following behind her. _

'_Mother, father, brother… please tell me what I'm supposed to do!' The lost woman cried out to the family that once was. To have that constant in her life fully wiped away was like having every other beat torn away from her heart. She'd be willing to give anything to hear their voices or see them in any shape one last time… but it wasn't only improbable, it was impossible._

_Gone was the beauty that Ashara was known around Westeros for and in its place was a woman who felt like she lost her world. Those same feelings from earlier crept up on the haunted woman and with them came the crushing weight of helplessness that swallowed her head first._

_Soon the only idea she could think of was to give up. To take herself and throw her body and her life off the top of Palestone Sword. The length of the castle's halls only compounded things because they gave her time to think about the grand failure that was her life. Her plagued soul's only release being found in its end._

_Ashara never made it to the tower because what she came upon first was an open window. Wanting to end the pain and suffering as soon as she possibly could, she moved to step out of that ajar window. Her foot was about to stray over that boundary when someone took her arm and spun her away from her drastic escape._

_Her lost purple eyes locked with a fierce but concerned brown and when Elia spoke it was to say..._

"Lady Ashara!"

Starfall's Lady was pulled out of the events of what was almost a tragic night thanks to the sound of Naruto calling out her title and name. Honing back in on the present time, Ashara recognized that she was standing in the same exact place that she and Naruto met last night. Settling for a quick blink, she forced a smile into place until she took note that the blonde was sitting in the center tree.

Ashara opted to stay in the safety of the halls after she glanced out hesitantly into the downpour of rain that fell from the drab sky. "Did you climb into that tree?" Her question was posed with a raised tone and an even further raised eyebrow. Despite living here for years, she couldn't recollect a single time that anyone ever did something so unbothered on Starfall's grounds.

Scratching the back of his scalp, Naruto showed Ashara a sleek grin that stretched out the whisker marks on his cheeks. Last night's events pretty much cemented his concerted effort to be polite, if not friendly to the lady in purple. "Well, I wanted to be outside but not in the rain so…"

He left the rest of his statement to linger unsaid but obvious. Much like Elia many times before her, Ashara found that she couldn't believe that Naruto was capable of doing the things that he suggested. The doubt doubled down when she looked at the darkened, wet bark of the tree he allegedly climbed. "How did you even manage to make it up there?"

Naruto's blue eyes flickered with the creation of an idea. Dropping down from the tree with a minimal splash, he stood rooted under the foliage which blocked out most of the precipitation. The blonde took his hand and stretched it out towards Ashara with a welcoming grin. "How about I show you instead?"

She bit down on her bottom lip as she stared out into the rain for a moment of deliberation. Grabbing her dress to lift the fabric so it didn't slink through the water and muck, Ashara hurried out under the arch and allowed the assassin to take her hand that he then used to guide her to the relative shelter under the tree.

It was only a few moments but she still felt the beads of water riding down the waves of her dark hair. When she was amidst the castle's open halls the sound of the falling water was subdued but out here the sound was sharp, clear. The sound was fresh. Uncurling her fingers from Naruto's, she turned her striking purple hues back on the man. "What now?"

"There isn't much more… but I'm not sure I should do what I need to do, not with a lady like yourself." He put his words together in a purposefully vague way that taunted the beauty beside him in a light-hearted kind of way.

Ashara fired a meaningful glance at Naruto as their conversation continued forward in the gray atmosphere of an overcast sky. "I didn't run out here in the rain to not see this through." She reaffirmed herself stubbornly. She couldn't care less about the dress getting wet but if this was just some ploy to waste her time then that's when there'd be problems.

"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you!" Naruto wrapped an arm around her slender waist and pulled Ashara's chest into his. The warmth of their bodies colliding and the surprise that came from the gesture made Ashara gasp. At the same time, Naruto rocked back on his heels and jumped up into the air. They went high enough that their heads almost broke the canopy of leaves however they came down just before it could happen. And that was how both man and woman found themselves sitting on the same branch Naruto was perched upon a few moments ago.

Safe and sound, he retracted his arm while Ashara's quick interjection of adrenaline started to fade. Looking down her legs which were covered by her simple dress, Ashara saw her bare feet dangling off the branch. This is what solidified the recent events in her mind as things that actually happened. "How in the world did you do that?"

A snort of amusement spiraled out of the blonde's mouth and it wasn't because of her slightly frazzled demeanor. He snorted because he was staring at her slips which were left below in the wet grass where she had been standing. "I train, a lot." He said as if those four words explained it all.

Turning herself towards Naruto with a brow that was furrowed and a tightly squinted gaze, Ashara's expression couldn't further display her confusion. "What… what does that even mean?"

It was clear Naruto got a kick out of watching her react to the things he had to say. His smirk was what told that story. Placing his hands down on the branch, he stared out into the rain with a grin in game. "What indeed?"

After that impish response was posed the pair of people fell into silence. Neither of them did anything more than watch the rain as it fell. Sitting side by side made Naruto and Ashara look like a pair of old friends who were comfortable enough to be silent around the other.

Eventually the quiet was broken up by Naruto's regretful voice. "Ya know, I'm sorry for how I treated you last night." He whispered an apology that was almost lost in the controlled chaos of the rain and its sustained sound.

The lady gazed at Naruto through the side of her vision and that's how she found Naruto looking forward with half-opened eyes alongside a softer expression that Ashara didn't know him capable of creating in their limited interactions. Primed with a deep breath, she let out that long exhale before she put her hands in her lap. "Thank you, I should apologize to you as well…"

"What I was feeling is in no way comparable to your problems. If anyone is to blame for how our first meeting went it is me. So please, do not apologize to me." The insistent stiffness in Naruto's tone put the kibosh on any apology that Ashara might have tried to pass his way.

She kept her eyes focused on the side of Naruto's whiskered face until he turned his face to meet her eyes because when he did she opted to put her focus somewhere else. Their silence took an uncomfortable turn and it escalated in discomfort until Naruto's voice pierced the shroud of silence once more. "Do you want to talk about it?" He wisely let the implications of his question speak for themselves since he figured that directly addressing her suicide attempt would lead him to a metaphorical stone wall.

"No I don't, not really." Ashara saw no possibility that included her talking about last night until she settled the thoughts in her head, and that was something she wasn't even close to achieving at this point.

The clipper nodded his head with a contemplative hum. The smell of rain and the Summer Sea weaved with the fragrant scent coming off Ashara. "If you ever do want to talk about it and Elia isn't around then I'll lend an ear."

Naruto's kind response was one that made Ashara's lips twitch upwards into a smidge of a smile. It held there until the moment after where her expression drifted back into a more middle grounded look. "What happened to the cold-hearted, hard-assed assassin that said respect from him meant death?"

Said assassin rolled easily into a soft chuckle that was crafted in thanks to the playful slight towards him within the woman's question. "Everyone has their temper and last night was me getting close to losing mine. Again, that was something that you didn't deserve, so sorry."

"Then I believe I will choose to see your good side, Naruto. Life is better off spent making friends than it is adversaries." Following this pause Ashara directed their talk to what she did earlier in the morning, that being talking with Elia and Rhaenys. The mentioning of the pair gave Naruto reason to smile while she continued on with her rundown. "I also happened to hear something very interesting when Elia needed to leave the room."

"And what was it that you two ladies found yourselves talking about?"

"Rhaenys told me about all of the fun things that the two of you did." A giggle came off her lips as she remembered all of the very animated ways that the Little Lady expressed herself while telling that tale. "When she told me how you two ran through the trees like critters I couldn't believe her but after this…"

Naruto chuckled when he thought about the young girl and all of her natural exuberance. From what he had seen she was getting more and more lively as the days went on. 'I guess that I can't be too upset. After all, I only said to not tell her mother about our race through the trees.'

"What are your plans after Sunspear?"

Thanks to the combination of his thoughts and the pause in his focus created by them, Naruto was wholly unprepared for what was asked of him. "What was that?" He asked for a repeat of what she said.

"After you bring Elia and Rhaenys back to the south, what will you do then?" The Dayne beauty repeated herself through a shudder that was due to a rather blustery wind that rocked the open-air setting they were in.

Hers was a question Naruto hoped to avoid but here it seemed he had little choice but to answer that innocent inquiry. "I haven't given it that much thought honestly. These days have been rather busy." This answered allowed him to fabricate a small lie. But there was also the truth in that answer.

The truth was that everyone in Westeros was currently dealing with the fallout of this past week.

"Then have you thought about staying in Sunspear perhaps? I think that the Little Lady would like that very much. She really looks up to you, you know?" She let Naruto in on the observations she had taken away from the things Rhaenys said and how she said them.

He was just happy to hear that Rhaenys was focusing on things that didn't involve her little brother's murder. Scraping at his cheek, Naruto looked decidedly unsure about her suggestion. "I don't know how I'd do in domestic life."

Falling prey to an unlady like cycle of snorts and laughs, Ashara expressed her amusement freely as Naruto sat there with an inclination in his lips. "I think that you'd find there is no such thing as domestic life in Dorne, forget Sunspear."

Her joyous claim was an accurate one that sent Naruto into a laugh as well. The two of them sat there laughing for a handful of minutes before the blonde found his words again. "Perhaps not"

She calmed her breathing which had been heightened by her laughter and wiggled her freed toes before she spoke again. "It's at least something to think about Naruto and-"

Whatever the advice that Ashara saw fit to give was stopped shy of being spoken by the heavy sound of two bells ringing. The hollow, slightly in-tune sound of the two cast-iron bells looping together created a dominating sound that filled every last cranny of Starfall… much to the displeasure of any animal within the premise, that and Naruto who winced at the raucous sound in his ears.

Mistaking the way Naruto's face recoiled on itself as confusion, Ashara thought that her conversational partner was curious about what the bells meant. "Oh that's right, you wouldn't know. When I first got word of your approach I sent the news to Elia's brothers. It seems that Oberyn rode faster than post haste."

"The Red Viper is here eh?" He never had the pleasure to stand across from the man who was fabled as a pit viper but that didn't stop Naruto from hearing enough about Oberyn Martell in his travels throughout the continent across the Narrow Sea.

Able to decipher his intent clearly, Ashara decided to try and cut in on whatever plans he might be concocting. "Before we got to meet them maybe you'll be able to help me with something, Naruto?"

She certainly did manage to stop whatever he was thinking about. Instead of continuing with his intentions he shifted to look at the smiling woman near him. He took note of how her figure still reflected with beauty even when she was in the middle of a dreary world. "Huh? What do you need me for?"

Ashara's purple eyes twinkled like a shooting star while they stared straight into the inquisitive expression put upon Naruto's whiskered traits. She thought the way his eyes squinted and head tilted was rather adorable to see up close. "It's nothing too strenuous. I'd like it if you were to accompany me as I retrieve something, that's all."

Naruto's squint stayed stuck on his face for a few moments longer before giving way to a grin. "Sure, I guess I can help you out."

Her beautiful smile was the only reaction needed as she sank into Naruto's side. If he was how she got up here then he'd be the way she got down too. "Good, then let's go!"

Shaking his head, he coiled an arm around her for security before they plummeted to the ground. Being the taller of the two, Naruto hit the ground first and ended their descent before Ashara even touched the ground.

Easing back into her shoes, Ashara was offered one of Naruto's wings. "Shall we, my lady?"

Taken by surprise, her smile returned while she linked her arm with Naruto. It was like this that the two of them strolled out into the rain. Thankfully the rain had lessened and was now a drizzle. "An assassin and a gentleman, is there anything else that you'd like to claim?"

Shrugging the shoulder that wasn't brushing on Ashara's shoulder, he offered her a response that was just as jestful as her question. "I'm a man with many different hats but telling you about them wouldn't be any fun. You ladies aren't the only ones who like to be mysterious, my lady."

She had to let loose another laugh as she tapped on Naruto's quartered forearm with her fingers. No longer were they in the rain but most of Starfall's halls were just as empty as their last spot was, probably because they went to see the group arriving from Sunspear. "Mysterious indeed, and please call me Ashara, I grow tired of that forsaken title."

Always someone who was ready to disperse of formalities, Naruto easily made the change in how he addressed the woman on his arm. "So where are we going Ashara?"

Ashara was in the process of giving him an answer but then they walked up to the very window that she almost threw herself out of last night. Seeing it made her body go tense while her eyes froze in their tracks. Her ability to speak was quick to join the group of things not working.

The tight way that she clutched at his arm wasn't lost on Naruto, and neither was the distinct lack of breathing after her single gasp. Naruto followed her gaze to the window and got an idea of what was wrong. He shifted forward a step so his body was in between her and the window that he was now blocking out. "Ashara?"

His use of her name was the trigger that reactivated her body's natural functioning. Coming to with a second gasp, her fingers dug into the cloth over Naruto's arm. When her eyes came back into focus she saw Naruto in front of her it, and as such, it was Naruto that asserted himself into her thoughts. "Y-Yes?"

"Are you alright?" His eyes proved to be polar opposites of the cold pits of ice from last night. Now his blue eyes were warmed with concern for her well-being, one person to another.

She swallowed the nerves lodged in her throat and steeled her soul with the fire inherent to those who lived in the south. Naruto saw her transformation but chose to keep silent. "You don't have to worry about me. Come on, we need to get moving before Elia comes hunting us down."

Naruto wasn't totally convinced she was telling the truth but he trusted that women knew herself well enough to make that self-evaluation. Together they traveled up three-fourths of the tower when he couldn't help but comment on the tower they were climbing. "What is it with nobles and making tall towers? Do they feel sad when they look down at themselves so they make tall things to look up at and feel proud about?"

With Ashara laughing freely at the implications of the innuendo, the tense moment at the base of the tower was discarded just as the man and woman reached a closed off door. The door itself was made of pure ebony wood and was painted with a golden star that was designed to appear as if it was shooting off the door's grainy surface.

Unhooking her arm from Naruto, Ashara advanced to the door and opened it. With the door opened she turned over her shoulder to give Naruto a smirk. "Please, come in"

Following her into the room, the first thing that he observed was a mural painted onto the rounded roof that loomed overhead. Painted to imitate the dark, unpropitious skies of Dorne, each inch of the circle was distinctive as it gradually narrowed towards the center where it combined into a constellation fashioned like a greatsword.

Next to tempt his eye was an actual sword that was stood vertically against a glass gantry that was stained black. The actual length of the blade was encased in a ceremonial glass sheath that increased the magnanimous glow shedding off the sword. Its brilliant light made it tough to see the details on the blade but he could see its hilt. Designed to resemble a four-pointed star, the star's tips were stretched out so they could coil around the square-like protrusions that extended out at the sides to form a hand guard.

More than its impeccable craftsmanship, Naruto could sense the energy in the air. He felt the aura that the weapon exuded was more than the sheet of light permeating from the metal. There was no denying in his mind that this weapon was special. It might be something even greater than the legendary steel of Old Valyria… and that was saying something.

"This is the Sword of Morning, _Dawn_. This is my family's most promised treasure, a weapon made from a falling star. It is bestowed upon a warrior who has proven himself as both a powerful fighter and a man of strong character." Ashara's brief description of the radiating sword may as well have been the whispers of a Goddess that was explaining her craft because this greatsword she spoke of looked simply divine. **[1]**

"It was my brother's sword until he was killed at the Tower of Joy." And as easy as that the mystique of the moment was shattered by the cold, unforgiving hammer that was reality. Naruto looked to his side to see Ashara's teary expression was only made more sullen by the light of _Dawn_.

The echo of his footsteps followed in his shadow as Naruto stepped towards the tearful Lady Dayne. When he was close enough he laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. It wasn't much but it was a gesture to show her that she wasn't alone.

Ashara shut her eyes, steadied her lip, and lifted her head with the pride only someone of noble origins could truly pull off. "Normally _Dawn _would remain here until a new Sword of Morning is named but I fear what will become of Starfall with my departure."

Naruto's gaze flicked down to the woman who was half a head shorter than him and that was without and true heels in her shoes. His gaze carried no small amount of surprise in it. "Your departure?" He repeated back to Ashara with his brow dropped down and an eyebrow lifted.

She wiped away the proof of her tears before nodding her head. "Yes, Elia asked that I return with her to Sunspear like when we were children. I agreed and transferred lordship of Starfall to my younger brother, Cyric. He is well-intentioned but I have my concerns with his ability to lead so I'll be taking _Dawn_ with me so that I know it's safe."

Arthur would've liked that.

From there Ashara walked out from beneath Naruto's hand to the only piece of furnishing in the room outside of the ancestral Dayne sword. It was a desk with a drawer that was maybe three feet in length. She opened that drawer and out came a folded up purple cloak. She wasn't facing him but her voice came to his ears all the same.

"This is a cloth that was made from the same meteor that _Dawn_ was forged from. Ground down and woven into the cloth, the particles from the meteor make it so the only thing able to destroy the cloth is the fire from a dragon of at least ten cycles… or so the stories say." Turning back around, she had the purple fabric draped over the top of her forearm.

"That's… incredible" What more could he say to follow up a story that included an actual star falling?

"Naruto will you hold _Dawn_ while I wrap it up with its covering, please? It's a touch too heavy for me to hold by myself." She made her request, revealing the true reason she asked the assassin to climb the tower with her.

"Are you sure?" He asked sounding apprehensive about handling such a vital piece of the Dayne family history.

One of her finely tuned brows picked up before a teasing smirk formed on her lips. "I'm not asking you to carry _Dawn_ into your next fight. All you have to do is hold onto the sword while I get it set for our journey… and maybe hold onto it while we travel."

He rubbed at his head and chortled lamely at his own overreaction. "Ha, I guess you're right." Naruto walked to _Dawn_ and gently lifted the weapon away from its stand. He had one hand on the glass sheath and the other wrapped around the hilt. Even like this, he could taste the surge of invigorating power flowing through the weapon but he shook it off. "Like this?"

The purple lady nodded her head as she went about the process of wrapping the blade twice around so the fabric was snug from its point down to the hilt. When it was to her liking she secured the cloth with two specially forged pins that were topped with miniature stars.

"Wonderful! Now, I believe there are guests that I need to greet and you are coming with me my trusty sword-holder!"

"Wait a minute, did I just get turned into your pack mule?"

"You were right, you do wear a lot of hats!"

* * *

"I'm telling you, sister, it's not as bad as you've been hearing!"

"So you're telling me that you don't have multiple lovers, Oberyn?"

"Err… well… I _am_ a young man!"

"Unbelievable!"

This is the conversation that Ashara and Naruto walked in on. Ashara was the one to introduce themselves to the rest. "It looks like you two are having fun!" She snarked with a mischievous smirk. She'd always loved to watch the siblings bicker back and forth and that hadn't changed.

"Naruto!" Rhaenys who was ecstatic to see Naruto ran right at the blonde and jumped into him which left him with no other option than to catch her. Adjusting Rhaenys so she wouldn't slip, he smiled at the young lady.

Now he had a wrapped sword in one hand and a child not much older than five in his other, Naruto painted quite a picture to behold. "Hello Rhaenys, how are you doing?" He asked ever kindly to the child barely past five named days old.

A pout welled up on Rhaenys' face as she glared cutely at the blonde assassin who was clearly amused with her reaction. "Where were you? You said that we'd play today!" She scolded Naruto oblivious to the varying looks on the faces of the people around them.

Snickering ever so slightly, he nodded his head to admit that there was truth to her words. "I did but then Ashara asked for my help."

Rhaenys blinked because it was like Naruto broke the seal that kept them in their own world. She looked at Ashara who was standing next to them looking as entertained as Naruto was. "Wow, you look really pretty today, Lady Ashara!" The girl complimented the lady with a naturally benevolent smile.

Ashara smiled brilliantly at Rhaenys. "Thank you, my dear~" She responded in a gentle tone while she also ran her purple painted fingers through a section of Rhaenys hair. This touch turned Rhaenys' smile that much brighter.

Shaking his head at the two, Naruto turned his eyes onto Elia who was watching the scene unfold with a warm expression. "Good morning Elia. I hope you slept well?"

Elia nodded her confirmation. "I did Naruto, thank you for asking." There was a cough from her side which wrangled her attention to the gentleman that was standing on her flank. "Fine, don't be such a baby. Naruto, this is my younger brother, Oberyn Martell. Oberyn, this is Naruto, the man who saved Rhae and me during the Sack."

Striding up to Naruto confidently was a young man with a mysterious look about him. He was tall, lithe, and fit of body which was the perfect combination for the sureness that Naruto saw in his graceful steps. Like Elia and Rhaenys, Oberyn had the typical Dornish dark eyes and hair. His hair was in the process of being grown out of what was shaping up to be a widow's peak style.

"A pleasure to see you again Ashara." The two Dornish shared a courtesy nod before Oberyn's searching stare locked with Naruto who didn't flinch away from the intense eyes he was being leveled with. "I'd shake your hand but you seem to have them full."

With _Dawn_ settled against his left shoulder and Rhaenys on his right side looking at the sword, he had very little to greet Oberyn with other than his words. "The Red Viper, it's a pleasure to meet you. They were talking about your performance in the pits when I last visited Essos."

The duelist's mouth curled up into a deadly smirk that paired nicely with his sharp nose. "It was my first visit of many, but all I needed was one stay for the people to know my mark." He shifted his posture and glanced at the spear on his back, a weapon taller than him by several feet.

"Anyone that leaves enough red in the pits will be remembered for their efforts," Naruto remarked more than aware of the bloodthirsty nature that the men and women in the pits exhibited. Though some were only there because of the Masters, it was still the prevailing attitude in that world of bloodshed.

Although he saw no reason to contest the truth, Oberyn would not be silent. "Speaking of red, you and I need to have words about what you did… or didn't do back in the Red Keep." That certainly sounded like a warning to Naruto.

Before he had the chance to delve further into the subject, Elia stepped between the two with a frown for her brother. "Oberyn you said you wouldn't go there…" She stated with a low voice that wasn't pleased in the slightest.

"But-"

"No buts! You'll be helping me gather my things until you cool down!" Putting her foot down, the older sister dragged her younger brother away while he complained and resisted the entire way.

Rhaenys giggled as she watched them go. Dropping down from Naruto's arm, she waved at the two adults left behind. "Bye Naruto, Lady Ashara!" Turning around, the little one gave chase to the siblings. "Wait for me Momma, Uncle!"

It was only once the partial family of Martells was gone did Ashara finally break into a soft string of giggles. "And there they go~"

Using the hand on the arm that Rhaenys vacated, Naruto rubbed at the back of his head. "Yup. That was… interesting?"

His unsure comment only intensified Ashara's giggle into a laugh that went on until she silenced herself with a shake of her head. "Elia's right, we should get ready for the trip to Sunspear, and since you don't have anything with you Naruto, you can help me!"

Naruto blinked and turned his skeptic blue eyes to Ashara's honey-sweet smile. "And how do you figure that?" Ashara may have turned out to be cooler than first thought but Naruto wasn't looking to become her personal transporter.

"You're already carrying _Dawn _for me, so why not help with the rest?" Naruto wasn't really given the chance to dispute her because she took off quicker than Naruto thought she was capable of. "Let's go Naruto, you don't want to get lost!"

He watched her hair sway on her back with every cheerful step. He sighed and begrudgingly trudged after the woman. 'At least she's in a better mood now.'

* * *

_Sunspear_

Sunspear was the place of power from which House Martell ruled the realm of Dorne. The area around Sunspear was perhaps the most peculiar in all of the Seven Realms. Not only was the keep built in the southernmost portion of land in Westeros but it was built among the desert which kept limiters on the number of settlements that Dorne could possess at any given time.

Sunspear was no different. It was a place for people that was surrounded by walls, three of them to be exact. These Winding Walls encircled one and another creating mile after mile of narrow alleyways, hidden establishments, and frantic bazaars. Even the old keep that the Martells once used, Sandship, was located in the city of twisting paths.

Naruto wasn't given as much time as he would have liked to explore the city that was more akin to a nomad settlement but from his limited exposure, he could tell that the Dornish were a group of people who enjoyed life. The women were beautiful and bronze and the men were passionate and deadly… the mud-brick buildings and simple hovels that many called home didn't dampen that spirit.

Where most of Sunspear -the shadow city included- was low to the ground and simple, the Old Palace was grand and sky-reaching. Casting long shadows that looked like fingers whenever the sun sunk behind Sunspear, the new keep was the perfect example of how the Rhoynish influence changed how things were done in Westeros.

'I'm happy that I got that lining of Shadowcat fur under my armor before this. The desert does get cold at night, sneaky climate.' During the first period of travel out of Starfall, he was taken up with thoughts of what Sunspear would be like but he quickly realized that the desert demanded every bit of his attention if he wanted to survive it.

These were the thoughts he pondered as he sipped on a sample of fine Dornish Red Wine. This is how he was when the doors in front of him opened and a guard stepped out. "Prince Doran will see you now."

Nodding, Naruto placed his cup down and followed the man into the Tower of the Sun's main room where Elia, Oberyn, and a man sitting in a throne inlaid with a golden spear were waiting for him.

An older man of around thirty years sat on the throne of Dorne. From a glance, Naruto could tell that this man was the exact opposite of Oberyn. This man was weary, pensive, and subtle in his gestures. Naruto also noted that Doran Martell didn't have a very striking figure; it was an average figure that could easily be counted as unassuming. Though there was very little unassuming about the stress wrinkles dotting the man's paling face.

The sunshine haired assassin stared straight at Doran and Doran did the same at Naruto. He expected a bow from the blonde because it was the respectful thing to do but nothing happened. The silent conflict between the two grew and grew until Oberyn broke through the stagnant silence with a cough. It was the nudge needed to move this meeting on.

"So you're the man to defeat the Mountain and save my sister?" Doran said with a calm kind of voice that only the most political of lords could obtain.

He was by far tired of hearing that kind of sentiment when it came the Mountain and as such he forcefully stomped out the urge to roll his eyes at Doran. "Or so everyone continues to tell me," Naruto replied with a bit of bite in his voice. His answer caused a number of the guards in the room to eye him up angrily for the disrespect shown to their lord.

Doran wasn't happy with the attitude, not by a long shot, but he was used to dealing with brash young men thanks to Oberyn and his salty attitude. "Yes, they do… tell me this Naruto, what are your plans now that you've fulfilled your promise to my sister and my niece?"

Looking up at the man who was elevated slightly above where he was rooted, Naruto shrugged in return. "Get some food, get some rest, and then see where the wind takes me?"

Behind Naruto, the Viper Princess' eyes fell to the ground and a frown rolled up on her lips. Her reaction to his answer went unheeded by everyone apart from Oberyn who was the closest to Elia.

The ruling head of Dorne had no qualms with that and nodded his head. "Then we can talk about a reward for the safe return of my family. What is your price?"

Stopping him there with a shake of his head, Naruto breathed out a quick sigh through his nostrils. "I already told Elia that I'm not doing this to be rewarded. No one asked me to step in and save her and Rhaenys so no one will pay me for it."

Doran looked piercingly at the blonde, searching for something that he just couldn't find. He frowned in the end because he didn't yearn to be in debt to someone as unknown as this man was to him, such mystery made him hard to predict. "I must insist that you let Dorne do something for you."

This time Naruto's sigh pushed out under his breath. Simply put, he didn't want to have this discussion a second time with yet another stubborn Dorne. Producing one of his three remaining kunai, Naruto ignored the guards putting their hands on their weapons. He held the kunai in front of his face and spoke around it. "Have you ever seen these around Sunspear?"

Nerves shook that a guest had managed to bring a weapon into the room without him knowing, Doran was clearly on edge in his seat. "No… no, I haven't." He said quicker than what was characteristic of him.

"Then you can't help me," Naruto said simply, slipping his kunai back into his armor. "If that was all you wanted to speak about then I'll be excusing myself?" He framed it as a question but it was certainly a statement that Naruto followed through with.

Elia saw Doran gripping tightly on the arms of his chair but she passed that detail over as she followed Naruto out of the room. "Naruto, wait!" She called out after him before he could start the time-consuming descent down the Tower of the Sun.

What used to be a look of indifference was long gone as Naruto turned around. In its place was a friendly smile meant for Elia. "What's up Elia?"

Linking her fingers together at her waist, Elia bit on her lower lip. She needed a moment to gather her thoughts before she could answer his question. "Were you serious about leaving Sunspear so soon?"

"Oh…" His lips fell downward, not into a frown but he wasn't smiling any longer. "Yeah, I think I'll find something to do I keep on moving."

Elia _did not_ like that answer.

Ever since Naruto appeared in her life there was a certain level of comfort that was difficult to describe and that extended to Rhaenys as well. Not only had he achieved the impossible but he also was able to keep Rhaenys' mood up in the clouds. Naruto gave her a somewhat normal life.

And that wasn't even including how Elia felt about the enigma of a man that was in front of her. 'What do I feel for him?'

Just like how it happened before but for different reasons this time, Elia wasn't able to think on that question. This time it was because Naruto kept their conversation going, seemingly oblivious to the inner debate occurring within the Martell Princess. "I won't be leaving right away." Alright, so maybe he wasn't _that_ oblivious.

Not right away still wasn't long enough for Elia. "What if… what if I hire you to do a job for me? To protect Rhaenys and me?"

"Come again?"

"I'm no fool Naruto. After the dethroning of the Targaryens and the disappearance of the Queen, there is not a more immediate threat to Robert Baratheon's reign as King of the Seven Realms than my daughter. I no longer hold claim since my marriage was annulled but Rhaenys' is still in line through succession." Elia stated with a solemn softness in her voice. The politics of the Iron Throne were ruthless, even to those who had no choice but to be born into the game, like her daughter.

"Rhaenys wants to be the Queen?" Never once in their many talks was the idea mentioned in form or fashion so this came as quite a surprise to Naruto.

Elia shook her head negatively, the pale circlet around her forehead contrasting with her tanned skin. "No she doesn't and I wouldn't want her to live in that toxic place, Queen or not. The problem is that neither the King nor his Council knows that Rhaenys isn't a threat to them."

"Robert may be a man of war but I don't think him to be one that will order the death of children…" Naruto said unsure about this whole arrangement that was being proposed. Maybe Elia was just being a mother who was overreacting to things? It was certainly possible.

No sooner did a hateful scowl tear up Elia's concerned visage. "Our informants in King's Landing said that Robert was seen standing over Aegon's body wrapped in rags and he **smiled**! He smiled at the sight of my dead child!"

Naruto recoiled not because Elia shouted at him but because the information was so jarring to hear. The lack of humanity as shocking as it was detestable. With Naruto left in a state of shock, Elia was free to continue her tirade of anger. "If he is happy enough to gloat over an infant then he will certainly try and do the same to Rhaenys!"

"Elia I…"

Taking one of Naruto's hands in between her palms, the mother looked right into Naruto's blue eyes imploringly. "Please Naruto, don't let them steal Rhae's life because she was born to the wrong side of a war. She deserves to have a life like you and me! Please!"

If the situation wasn't so intense Naruto would've taken note of how soft Elia's hands were against his skin. Steadying his expression and removing any sign of uncertainty after that plea, Naruto smiled comfortingly at Elia. "Okay Elia, I'll take the job."

An unstoppable wave of relief raced through Elia's body. She didn't cry but she did surprise Naruto when she slumped forward to give him a hug. Speaking straight into his shoulder, she provided him with as tight of a squeeze as her fragile body could provide. "Thank you so much, Naruto."

There should be no doubting that Elia did this because Naruto made Rhaenys happy and could keep her safe. But she also did this because there was a portion of her that also enjoyed having the assassin around, something Elia was becoming more aware of the longer they were together.

More used to this kind of contact than he was a week ago, Naruto wrapped his arms around her upper back respectfully and returned her embrace.

"I wouldn't be interrupting something, would I?" The next one to speak was Oberyn Martell. His tone was light and full of a suggestion that was bordering on something promiscuous, a feeling he was more than familiar with.

Whipping around on her brother, Elia ripped herself from Naruto's arms with a healthy supply of red in her face. Was that red anger or was it embarrassment? "Oberyn are you trying to make me angry?"

Oberyn knew what that low tone meant for him which is why he threw his hands up placatingly. "I only tease my dear sister. I'm actually here to talk with Naruto about something."

The man of the hour lifted his brow in confusion. "Me?" What could Oberyn need to talk to him about?

"Yes you, how about you and I go out and have a friendly competition." The way that his hand moved towards the spear on his back was not lost on Naruto or Elia.

"That's not a good idea. Dorne wouldn't be very happy with me if word got out that I did harm onto one of their Princes." Naruto retorted with a mocking sort of smirk. He couldn't even think of the last time someone had the balls to challenge him to a fight.

Sharpening his dark, coal-like eyes, Oberyn found himself frowning. "You think you could beat me?" The fact that the whiskered man was so sure of himself only insulted the warrior inside of Oberyn that much more.

"I am a man who is trained and proficient in killing other men and women… so yes, I think that I'd emerge the winner. Though I don't doubt that you will fight me tooth and nail."

The pause in Naruto's answer and the subsequent softening of his stance happened because a concerned Elia grabbed at the back of his arm, making it clear that she didn't want to see the two of them fight.

"It so happens that I disagree, so what better way to settle this than to put our problem into action?" Oberyn's laser focus was parked on Naruto and him alone. That single-minded need to test Naruto made sure that he failed to notice smaller things like his sister's reaction to his demands.

Naruto looked into the area past Oberyn. His gaze was vacant as he chewed on the inside of his cheek. The blonde mulled over his options for a handful of moments when he finally gave his answer. "How about a hand to hand fight? No weapons."

"No weapons? Where is the fun in that?" One didn't need to look any further than the slight pick up in Oberyn's voice to know that he was protesting that potential option.

Recalibrating his attention back on Oberyn, Naruto shook his head languishly. "With weapons, there is no fun for me. If I win then I have Dorne on my ass and if I lose then my body is torn up. No weapons or no fight."

There was a clear distaste on Oberyn's face. What Naruto suggested went against everything he wanted in a fight but beggars could not be choosers so it was with a sigh that he relented by nodding his head. "Fine, we'll do it your way. Tomorrow when the sun is at its highest it will be me and you."

Ultimately getting what he wanted, he delivered that final line before he turned around and decided to spend some time in his favorite brothel here in Sunspear.

Naruto was motionless until he heard Elia's sigh. He turned around to face her again with an apologetic smile worked into place. "Sorry Elia, I tried to tone it down to make it as safe as possible. He seems like the type of guy who doesn't take no for an answer."

Elia sighed again in short order. "No, you're fine Naruto, Oberyn has always been like this since he was but a boy. At the very least I won't have to worry about swords or spears."

Her answer created a sly smirk in her companion. "Worried for who exactly? For me or for Oberyn?"

His free-wielding teasing caused Elia to color slightly. In the future, she'd work to be less prone to teasing but for now, she huffed it off and marched towards the steps of the tower. "Shut up Naruto! Let's go, you promised Rhaenys you'd take her and explore Sunspear and I'm coming along."

She left followed by Naruto and his laughter.

* * *

_Next Day_

People from all around Sunspear gathered just outside of Sunspear's first gate where open space existed. The crowd consisted of common folk, guards, shop owners, whores, and even some of the nobility like Elia and Ashara. They had together as one formed a ring and were waiting for the bout to begin.

Naruto and Oberyn were standing silently in the middle of all the commotion, neither man taking their eyes off the other.

"This is stupid and a waste of time and energy." Elia was not shy in letting how she felt be known to Ashara who had joined her in viewing this spectacle forced onto Naruto by Oberyn.

Ashara provided a short nod. "True, but you can't tell me that you aren't interested in seeing Naruto fight." She certainly wanted to see the man who bested the Mountain in action.

"I suppose you have a point." Elia conceded with a frown. The mere fact that she admitted what she did made her feel uncomfortable. Or maybe that unease was because memories of the Mountain were invoked in her mind?

"Besides, it's not like the view is unpleasant." Growing up along Elia left Ashara with a familial bond with this generation of Martells. This meant that she was talking about Naruto when speaking about pleasing sights. "I would have never guessed that Ser Assassin had a body like _that _hidden beneath his clothes~"

From their angle, they could see very well Naruto's body which was quite bare and tanned from his waist up. Ashara and Elia, along with everyone else could see how his abdomen rippled with his measured breathing, how his biceps flexed through the motions of his arms, and how his broad back pulled taut under his tanned skin anytime he shifted positions.

Lady Dayne slowly stopped tracing the contours in Naruto's muscles with her eyes long enough to see that a handful of women in the crowd were just as obvious with their silent appreciation of the fighter that caught her eye. Though most were leering at Oberyn for he was the Prince. "And it looks like some of the other girls here agree with me~"

"Ashara!" Elia whispered sharply to avoid garnering any attention from those around them. She even slapped her friend on her arm but that didn't stop the red in her cheeks from deepening as her best friend laughed openly.

Smirking at Elia, Ashara's purple hues gleamed in glee as they took in Elia's flustered face. "Your time in King's Landing has taken a grip of you. Don't forget that we are Dornish and we enjoy the better things in life. I'm sure that Naruto wouldn't mind the attention. The work he put into that body certainly deserves some appreciation!"

"I guess you're right." Elia murmured but never clarified on what part Ashara was correct about. Instead of doing that, her eyes took the time to take a measure of the defined, rigid lines of muscle on the blonde who just finished his stretching routine.

"Unless you have other ideas in mind for your savior~"

Before Ashara was properly chastised by her embarrassed best friend the anticipation around the fight was brought to a stop when Oberyn finally spoke out. "Okay, we've wasted enough time here! Are you ready to fight?"

Naruto grinned at the bold man. "I'm always ready to brawl Oberyn. Do you want to back out? This is your last chance to keep that noble face of yours clean."

"I'm no craven, assassin. Even without my lovely spear, I have plenty of thrust! You can ask my dears in the crowd if you don't believe me!" There was a collapsing crush of giggling from the numerous amount of lovers Oberyn had in the crowd, both man and woman.

He was down for banter back and forth but Naruto's fuse was running thin as is. "Enough with the pomp and pageantry, fight!"

"If that's your wish!" Oberyn spent no time springing into a charge. Forward pacing, Oberyn opened with a volley of jabs that lit up Naruto's chest with strikes. The sound of his fists on Naruto's body was dull and repetitive but none of the blows did any lasting damage. What it did prove was that Oberyn could barrel ahead faster than Naruto could pedal backward.

Naruto was left on the back foot for so long that eventually, he backed up into the ring of people constraining them. The crowd of people who certainly weren't on his side shoved him forward. Quickly working his feet so he didn't trip, Naruto dipped under Oberyn's incoming strike and scored a clean blow to Oberyn's kidney. The impact was quick and decisive. It was an impact that made Oberyn gasp and buckle at the knees.

Taking advantage of the chance, Naruto slid behind Oberyn where he followed up with a stiff forearm shiver to Oberyn's lower back which fully collapsed the Red Viper. Backing up, Naruto patiently waited for his foe to clamber back to his feet.

Growling beneath his breath, the Prince shed the sand from his hair before approaching a second time. Here he was more cautious as he slowly stalked Naruto back to the center of their makeshift ring. When Oberyn thought he had a moment to pounce he was drilled with a leg kick from the blonde, a kick that lifted his foot from the ground.

This time Oberyn hissed in pain while he tentatively placed his foot back on the ground. He attempted to come back in but again he was thumped with a kick. This time it was the inside of his left leg being knotted up by Naruto's heavy kicks.

Oberyn stumbled back from Naruto. To help manage the dull pain in his shins, he forced himself to breathe and think. Ready to go, Oberyn came in for the third time. This time he was waiting for Naruto and jumped over the attempted kick. He was midair when Naruto's punch came in but that didn't stop the Dornishman from catching Naruto's wrist. When he landed he pulled Naruto's arm around until his bicep was pinned against his Adam's apple.

Standing in Naruto's shadow, the Martell kept the pressure on the choke by placing his other hand against the back of Naruto's arm. Hearing every tiny wheeze from the blonde, just like a snake constricting, he wrapped his legs above Naruto's waist and both went down into the sand.

The hot earth didn't stop Oberyn from continuing to squeeze the life from Naruto.

A wide-shouldered man with white hair and a six-foot long ax stood in place watching the two younger men scrum. Despite being adorned in heavy metal armor he didn't show any signs of discomfort from the hot desert sun. This man was Areo Hotah, the head of the guard here in Sunspear. Though he wasn't reacting like the men and women around him, Areo was keeping an eye out in case Prince Oberyn was in any life-threatening danger.

Back in the fight, Naruto tried to wiggle his way out of the choke but ten seconds went by and his intakes of air were getting less effective by the gasp. He made use of his free hand to spring the snare that Oberyn made with his legs. Planting that same hand over Oberyn's shoulder, Naruto rolled his body back. With his hand, wrist, head, and neck bracing his weight, Naruto flipped himself into the dominant position.

The assassin went for a palm strike to Oberyn's nose but the Red Viper saw what was coming and managed to roll out of the way in time. When he felt only hot sand spreading between his digits, Naruto turned to look at Oberyn and got a faceful of sand for his troubles.

Blinded by the sand and feeling it stinging his eyes, Naruto wasn't able to prevent himself from being slugged across the face by Oberyn. Naruto hit the ground and was instantly mounted by Oberyn who rained down a flurry of sharp firsts upon him.

"They're really going at it." Ashara pointed out the obvious, strangely fixated on the sight of the two men trying to beat the life out of each other.

Elia used the rowdy crowd as a distraction. It was less time with her eyes on the fight this way. "The people are enjoying it." The words 'perhaps too much' were left unsaid.

She may have had eyes on the fight but her ears were more than capable of soaking in every profanity, scream, and call for more violence. "Yes, this seems more violent than even the joust tourneys."

"I just hope that it's over soon."

It took three facial smashes for Naruto to feel out his foe's pattern well enough to get his arms up in a position where they could absorb the fists that were now tenderizing his forearms. With the intense heat of the high sun and being locked in a five-minute long fight, Naruto built up a sweat that helped wash away some of the sand stuck in his eyes.

He got his eyes opened enough to discern a fist coming down on him and from there he was able to respond by catching Oberyn's left hand at the wrist. Naruto's sudden resistance caught Oberyn by surprise. The Red Viper did his best to wrench his trembling limb from Naruto's grasp but couldn't quite get loose.

Trying something else, Oberyn sought to switch over to his right hand and hit Naruto in the jaw again however as he shifted his focus Naruto pulled back on his wrist and there was a snap that made the civilians and non-combatants in crowd grimace.

Unbridled to his self-control, Elia's younger brother shrieked at the intense pain. He rolled off of Naruto, going as far as he could; both men were deposited in the sand nursing their own injuries as their sweating bodies were dotted and clumped on with wet sand. Taking ten seconds to themselves, both men rose to their feet panting heavily.

Oberyn was sporting a heavy bruise on his lower left side, a discolored bulge growing on the inside of his right shin, a dripping laceration on his lower back and bloodied red knuckles.

Naruto wore a cut beneath his hairline, a slice on his swollen lip, and red irritated eyes that were precariously avoiding a stream of blood dripping out of that hairline cut.

Their collective state left Sunspear's maester, Caleotte looking visibly ill. Caleotte was a man barely reaching the height of five feet. He was a bald man who clearly enjoyed his food, and while he may have been the maester that didn't mean he handled the environment well. "Oh my, I do hope this finishes soon. My skin just can't handle this unbearable sun!"

Speaking about unable to change one's temperament, Oberyn went on the attack again even though he was restrained to a single hand. He tried to kick at Naruto with lashes of his long limbs but Naruto danced out of his range easily much to Oberyn's anger. When the tired Viper started to slow down from going for nearly twelve minutes straight, Naruto caught his leg and pinned it to his side.

The two men locked gazes and Naruto swept the one wheel that Oberyn had to stand on. The Dorne went to the sandy ground in a puff and this time it was Naruto on top. Oberyn did his best to defend himself but with only one good arm he was slowly picked apart by Naruto's surgically-precise strikes.

When he tried to protect his face with his arm, Naruto went for the sides of his head and vice versa. Thankfully for Oberyn, the punishment didn't last long. Not so, fortunately, Naruto ended it all when he rung Oberyn's jaw with a massive hooking fist that knocked the Red Viper out by rattling his entire skull.

Some of Sunspear's guards came running in but Naruto lifted his arms and slowly backed away from the men who had head wraps, golden robes, and spears. Breathing heavily, Naruto watched as people began to form around the Prince. With his eyes down in the sand and his ears filled with the thumping of his heart, he didn't pick up on much of anything as he began to walk away from the gathering.

The victorious blonde was stopped in his tracks when a hand fell upon his hot, sweating body. The muscles beneath his skin tensed up in case he needed to defend himself. That tension deflated when he looked up from the ground to see Ashara's purple eyes on him. "Do you need something?" Naruto asked in a hoarse voice that was created in part by some dry sand that found itself in his mouth.

"I might not need something but you need someone to help you clean up," Ashara commented with a passing glance at the mixture of blood and sand on his frame.

Naruto went to chuckle off her statement and he did until his laughter forced him to spit up some of the sand that was stuck inside of his maw. Calming himself after the rough coughs that tortured his throat, Naruto smiled at her. "Thanks for the concern but I can take care of myself." Independence was one of the things he treasured most in this lifestyle of his.

Ashara planted her hands on her hips in response to his refusal of her aid. "You mean just like how you handled yourself and got into a fight?" She asked him condescendingly.

He prodded at the cut corner of his lip with his tongue and winced when there was a responsive shot of sharp pain. "It's not like I had much of a choice. Oberyn wanted this fight and nothing would've changed that."

She shook her head with immediate exasperation. "Of course you'd use that as an excuse. I swear you men aren't happy unless you're beating on something." She said with a sigh left quite plainly for her blonde companion.

Naruto's eye twitched at the way that Ashara painted him, feeling slighted by her broad brush strokes. "Hey now…"

House Dayne's former leader easily discarded Naruto's surge of indignation. "Well, these wounds won't clean themselves." Before Naruto could complain like she knew he would, Ashara took Naruto by his arm and began to drag him towards the city.

The tired assassin smeared streaks of blood over his temple when he attempted to wipe the lifeblood away. "I didn't say that I'd come with you. Please let me go." He muttered with annoyance at the way he was being dragged about without his consent.

"How about this then… if you don't follow me then I'll go around telling everyone how the winner of the fight came to me demanding that I be his prize." Ashara stated boldly, peering through her long hair at Naruto with a devious quality in her purple eyes.

It was no exaggeration, Naruto's jaw literally dropped open at the blatant extortion he was being subjugated to. "W-What are you talking about? I never even thought of something like that!"

Her smile was downright beckoning as her answer flowed from her lips like water. "But they don't know that, and I have a way of persuading people to see my way of things~"

"You're evil" More to buy himself some time than to insult her, Naruto followed up with that piece as he tried to figure some way out of this.

Ashara was unmoved as she fluttered her eyes at Naruto. "You say the sweetest thing to me Naruto. So, what's your answer?"

"Ya know, I think I liked you better when you thought I disliked you." Naruto's mumble made Ashara laugh cheerily. "Fine, you win this round."

"Oh Naruto, I always win~"

* * *

_Later On_

Sometime later on and more gold than that, Ashara managed to secure an entire bathing room to drag a reluctant Naruto into. The room wasn't anything extravagant like the Martells had in the keep but it was serviceable enough to do the job that Ashara and Naruto needed it to do.

It was here that Naruto was perched on a wooden stool while Ashara stood behind the blonde with a bucket of water and two clean cloth on a stool that was next to her for convenience. The room itself was quiet but the noise from the area around the building still drifted in when it spiked.

"I meant to ask, how did Elia take the whole thing? I know she didn't want to see it happen but..."

Ashara nodded her head. Elia most definitely didn't want to watch the scrap. "She went with Oberyn back to the palace but she did ask that I make sure you were fine too. Always looking out for someone that girl is."

Naruto felt a sigh slowly crawl through him because he was already savoring the cool and much darker setting that the bathing room provided them. Now that he was here and out of the heat he was much more receptive to the idea of someone else looking after his sweaty, sluggish body. "What's it look like?"

Ashara was in the middle of dabbing a cloth against the side of the bucket but she stopped to look up at the back of his head. "There's a cut under your hairline and one on your lower lip. Plus your eyes are still a little red… but on the bright side, the swelling went down. I'm going to start now. Try not to jump out of your skin~"

Her teasing barb quickly fell to the wayside and she started with Naruto's left arm when she began the thorough process of wiping away the sand and grime that built upon the blonde's bare upper half. She was gentle but also firm as she shaped her hand and the cloth over it around his wrist. Flush to his body, she carefully ran the cleansing fabric along his arm. The dirt was expelled one inch at a time until she got to his bicep. Once there she was unable to stop herself from squeezing Naruto's muscle. The very same one that she was admiring about thirty minutes ago.

For a moment she was totally enraptured by the way his firm muscles fought against the pressure exerted by her fingers. The strength there made her wonder about the kind of things the owner of these muscles could do. 'And they aren't even bulky and obscene…' She marveled to herself.

When she realized what she had done, Ashara looked to the profile view of Naruto's face and to her relief she found that he was sitting there contently with his eyes closed easily. Breathing out for herself, she rolled the wet cloth over the top of Naruto's broad shoulder to the nape of his neck. She used a gentle hand to guide Naruto's head to the other side so that she could wipe away at the sediment on the side of his neck and throat.

She did the very same for his other arm and shoulder, and both were finished with two dabs that cleaned behind Naruto's ears. Ashara took a step back with her first bit of work done. At this point, she was able to watch an array of water trickle down Naruto's back, watch as it branched out and formed different pathways that got gradually more dirty as they rolled over dirt and sand.

Ashara took in how calm her friend -if that's what they were- was breathing and watched the way that his back's muscular areas tensed up on every inhale and then eased when he exhaled. She fell into this visual lull for a number of moments before she dipped the cloth back into the bucket of cold water.

Her hands made sure to wring out the fabric so it wasn't dripping wet before she took that cool cloth to Naruto's back and started to scrub away the mess of the battle. From the backs of his shoulders down to the base of his spine, the lady was determined to not miss a single spec. Every time that Naruto sighed under her touch she saw it as a reason to smile. His reaction also convinced her to slow her pace to a methodical approach that her hands followed through with.

Who knew how many minutes it took but she did manage to purge Naruto's tan complexion of any imperfections left on it by the environment. When it was time to move on she did something unexpected. Instead of stepping around Naruto she leaned forward so that her chest was pushing against Naruto's damp back, feminine assets and all. Her added weight only made Naruto slouch forward some but other than that he was perfectly fine. Ashara settled her face next to Naruto's whiskered cheek so she could observe his front half.

Due to her unplanned interaction, his eyes flew open with some alarm in them. He looked to the side at a totally unbothered expression on Ashara's pretty face. Sensing his question coming, Ashara stopped him before he could even ask. "Take a breath and relax, I need to clean off your front. That's all."

Obviously, Ashara didn't need to have her chest pressed on him in such a way to do what she said but that's what happened. Blue eyes stared into purple for a long minute before Naruto ultimately nodded and did as instructed.

With approval given to her, she pushed the cloth down Naruto's collar bone and started to wipe away on Naruto's chest, stray drops from the cloth running down his front. Even with the cloth in her way she felt the dense muscle underneath the assassin's skin and how it reacted to her touch. There was a gentle hum as her hand rubbed over to his other pectoral muscle. Musical as the sound was, it also helped Naruto ease up as he sat beneath her body.

Her free hand laced around the side of his body and her fingers danced nimbly over the grooves that helped defined his abdomen so decidedly. There were chunks of wet sand stuck there that she needed to push out to get Naruto fully washed which also gave her fingers reason to dig into his abdominals.

Now the beautiful Dornish woman would be lying if she said that she wasn't enjoying her hands-on time with Naruto's impressive physique. It was one thing to look at it but to feel it undiluted underneath her hands and fingers was another thing entirely. Satisfying or not, she wouldn't let his phenomenal figure stop her from doing what she said she'd do, that being cleaning him up.

A sense of responsibility or no, the pair were looking quite intimate in the manner that they were positioned against each other. The quietness and gentle breathing of the two only enhanced the image the pair were portraying

In time, Ashara's free hand was traded out for the cloth and her hand moving south was a reminder of their very… _interesting _roles. His mind kicked back up and he did tense some when her hand began to scrub at his abs. Her hand never went past that line created by his pants but the tension in his body did make it so that she spent more time on his abs since they were so nicely presented for her.

When she was finished with him from the shoulders down, Ashara took the stool with her when she walked around him. Up in the space in front of him, she draped the sullied cloth over the rim of the bucket. "Okay Naruto, don't move your head too much. I'm going to take a look at these cuts."

Emotion took the better part of Naruto's mind. He raised his brow in response, uncaring of how the action jostled the bloodied flesh under his hairline. "Do you know what you're doing?" He couldn't help but raise his doubts about her statement.

Ashara chose to ignore his comment for a moment. She grasped Naruto's jaw and made him look down so that she could examine the higher of the two cuts. "Yes I do, I learned how to handle small injuries thanks to my mother." The picturesque, raven-haired beauty enlightened her charge as one of her hands pushed his unruly hair out of the way so that her other hand could bring a new cloth up to the laceration.

The angle that Ashara forced him into made Naruto look right into her chest. He couldn't help but look for a fleeting moment before he averted his eyes down further to his thighs. "What's the damage look like?"

As she carefully dabbed the balled up cloth against his cut and absorbed some of the blood, Ashara's head was tipped ever so slightly to the side. When she pulled the cloth back she was pleased to see that there wasn't a lot of blood coming back up. "It looks like you avoided stitches. Hmm, this is strange, I thought for sure that you'd need at least two stitches with how you were bleeding."

'Heh, I could've told you that much.' Naruto said to himself, amused by her reaction to his healing injuries.

Naruto was distracted at that moment and as such he let out a small _oof _when his head was forced back up. Now he was staring right into Ashara's piercing purple hues. The two of them were extremely close thanks to how she was leaning in towards his face. Her proximity led to Naruto holding his breath for a moment as Ashara carefully slid her thumb along his cut lip.

His lips were slightly chapped from the desert air but her focus was the abrasion on his lower lip. "Does it hurt?" She asked while gently moving her thumb against the injured bit of flesh.

Properly distracted with her pleasing scent, the softness of her smooth skin, and by the liveliness in the eyes that were trained on his lips, Naruto was rocked into silence. "...no it doesn't." When he did reply after the moment of silence it was in a slow, deliberate fashion.

She felt and watched his lips move against her finger and nodded accordingly. Slowly she panned her eyes along Naruto's face, taking in things she hadn't in their previous encounters. From the lips and over his whisker-like marks, Ashara was pulled into those deep, oceanic-blue eyes. 'He's handsome'

Both forgot their words and quiet breathing was traded back and forth. It was barely above a murmur in the wind but it may as well have sounded like thunder in their ears with how close they were. Neither was willing to blink as the warmth of the other began to intermingle against their bodies. That was when eyes began to lose their focus in favor of something else.

The more time stretched on the more undeniable the presence of some kind of attraction was. It was too early to say how deep that attraction between the two adults went but at the very least it was physical.

And finally, the status quo was broken when someone leaned in.

**END**

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**[1]:** In Game of Thrones it is suggested that Eddard returns Dawn to Starfall after Robert has been coronated. I changed that so it was before the coronation in this story to make things flow better.

**[2]:** There is a discrepancy in the timing of the Sack between the two adaptations of Game of Thrones. In this story, the Sack of King's Landing happens in 283 AC.

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**Writer's Note:** I've got an absolutely massive amount of support for the story and myself so thank you for that. I'm sorry if I haven't gotten to all the reviews because some of them trickle in after I read them in bulk. So if you ever have a direct question or comment that I don't address before posting the next chapter then please send a PM! Much love.

I never really had the intention of writing Ashara into the pairing for my own reasons. One of those is that her addition would make the number of women with Naruto three and that is treading into dangerous territory... but the responses from the readers that have spoken out want her in and I have started to accommodate to that, and it kind of feels natural to me. Some won't like it but that's okay. It won't change the fact that I don't write head over heels, lovesick girls like some other stories do. For those looking for Elia x Naruto moments, they are forthcoming in the next chapters.

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**Writer's Note II:** Now then...

I've let this go unaddressed in the last few chapters but now's the time that I make something clear about Naruto. Some of you writing reviews like to _Sigh_ or _Lul_ and say that Naruto's character doesn't make sense. Okay, let's talk about that.

One, Naruto's original 'character' is that of an orphan who had more physical skill then mental agility and that never really changed. He was naive and optimistic in a world that was forged in bloodshed and hatred. He was a scapegoat who was too stubborn to hate others and refused to move on from things that made his life worse. So yes, no duh, Naruto is out of character. So we've established this.

Two, the idea that a character, any character, is only capable of showing one emotion or two emotions and that's it is the most absurd trope that exists in Fanfiction. Could you imagine going through your life and only being able to grin and be a nice guy that caters to the whims of anyone who makes a request? Likewise, can you see a world where the only emotion you can muster is anger or hatred? No, because that's not how normal Humans work, and although he is a fictional character Naruto is still considered a Human. As Humans we make decisions that go against other decisions we've made, that's what we do. We are complex creatures capable of having more than one emotion or motive. That's how people are... nothing more, nothing less.

So to put a bow on this, you can keep lamenting that Naruto's 'character' changes from one situation to the next but that's how people work, and if you think otherwise then you're living in your own one-dimensional world, for which I'm sorry… for you.


	6. Meetings & Melee

**Writer's Note: **A New Game has broke 1,000 follows, 800 favorites, and 200 reviews in just five chapters which is awesome! Here's to the push for a 1,000 favorites and 300 reviews! Cheers.

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**Disclaimer**: I write a lot but own nothing, isn't that sad? No, not really.

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_A New Game_

**Chapter Six: Meetings & Melee**

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**Year 283 AC**

Life for those throughout Sunspear and by proxy the Martell family was exclusively sunshine and rainbows ever since Elia and Rhaenys were returned to their loving kin. The days since then were consumed with laughter and the nights occupied by parties that ran citywide. For pretty much an entire month, Sunspear and its neighboring cities were in a constant state of euphoric celebration.

Perhaps no one was more so taken by this vibe than Oberyn who used this opportunity to indulge in the more primal aspects of what was an already liberated personality. Normally it was Doran that kept the leash on his brother so to speak but even the stoic Lord of Sunspear cut loose during this month, drinking a bit and laughing even more than that. Their mannerisms often left their sister worn out but she was happy all the same, a state of being she forgot she could reach.

Rhaenys discovered another person that she could interact with, one that was not her mother or Naruto. This person came in the form of Princess Arianne Nymeros Martell, or simply Arianne. There was a minor age gap of two years between the two Princesses but it may as well have been two days with how well Rhaenys and Arianne got along. The two young girls quickly crafted a bond that essentially made them sisters.

Though she was under the watchful eyes of Elia for the first week or so, Ashara proved the worry over her previous actions to be unfounded when she quickly fell into the swing of things. Sunspear was so distinct from anywhere else in Westeros that once it was inside of a person it was difficult to forget. There were still moments of sadness over what she lost but no longer did she allow that to dictate her future. Part of her recovery included Ashara's favorite antic that came with this new life. This pertained to their trip to the Water Gardens and how she was able to pile on abundant amounts of teasing on her favorite blonde.

Speaking of the blonde, his assimilation into the group of Dornish went much smoother than he could've ever predicted. Initially, he hung around solely because Elia was paying him generously and he gave his word, but the longer that he remained in Sunspear the more comfortable he became.

Elia was a constant friend to him during this time, having meals with him and even watching him train from time to time. Of course, there was Rhaenys who was always pleased to see him and that extended to Arianne who often joined in. Then there was Ashara… that was a relationship more elaborate than the others but it was still one he was happy to have.

Doran and he were on passable terms and perhaps the most surprising turn of events was the friendship that Naruto had developed with Oberyn. After the dust had settled from their fight, there were cuts, blood, and bruises but these marks fostered an incredible friendship between the two warriors.

Naruto didn't know how to describe his situation, not completely at least. It was foreign. It was novel. It was something that he was happy to be a part of.

However, all good things do come to an end and that end came when the outside world knocked on Dorne's door. That knocking is precisely what Elia, Oberyn, and Doran were discussing.

"We knew this was coming eventually. Perhaps we should have come up with a plan instead of parties?" Doran surmised, a fleeting look of regret settling upon the wrinkles that were deeply baked into his pasty skin.

Oberyn's arms were locked tightly to his breast and his left foot was rapping off the ground in annoyance. "How can we be sure that this isn't some sort of trap to finish what they tried to do to Elia?" It was painstakingly clear how profoundly against the proposal he was.

Not someone to sit back and play the quiet damsel when it was her future being discussed, Elia piped up with a frown placed on her face. "We don't know anything. It could be a genuine attempt or it could be a trap."

Glancing down on the missive in his hand, Doran inspected the paper without reading its words. He had read them enough as it was. "The letter is signed and sealed by Jon Arryn, his repute alone gives the request credibility. His honor has been unquestionable ever since he took over as Lord of the Eyrie."

"Yes, I know the stories about the Hand but we can't hinge the life of our sister on the hopes that one man is true to his reputation." Maybe he could have been convinced to trust the current King if he didn't have ties to the Lannisters, but Robert's Queen was through and through a lion that could never be trusted.

Temples tightly furrowed in thought, Elia was busy studying the floor to help concentrate her thoughts which were a bit erratic at the moment. "What does the request say again?"

Doran took a breath before he recited what the ink on the page said. "The King requests that Elia Martell, former wife of Rhaegar Targaryen comes to King's Landing during the Tourney of the King in three weeks to come to terms about matters regarding the Iron Throne. Lady Martell will be allowed to bring her own guard and will be treated with Guest's Rights. Should this request be denied then it will be viewed as Dorne's declaration of war against the other Realms of Westeros."

"They have us backed into a corner. We can't have another war so soon, let alone one against the other realms." Elia pointed out with a small speck of worry in her voice while the rest of her started to come to terms with what she needed to do.

Clenching the paper in his hand tighter, Doran forced a calming breath through his lungs. He did so loathe being pushed around by one of his rivals, even if that rival was the King himself. "At the very least we have proof that they offered Guest Rights."

At his wit's end with the idea of entertaining this bogus request, Oberyn fell into a loud, angry shout. "To all the Hells with them and their damned Guest Rights! Have you forgotten that they killed our kin? A child no less? Their word is worth less than the sand of Sunspear!"

His passionate call to action was met with silence. Elia flinched at the mention of Aegon while Doran glared at Oberyn with none of the passion found in the young Viper's eyes. "This isn't the time to be thinking with your spear, Oberyn. Robert Baratheon may be the King but he can't kill guests with impunity. If he does then he will be seen as another Mad King and he will lose the Iron Throne. This is the best time for us to act."

Oberyn would've protested till the red in his face went blue if not for Elia laying a hand on his shoulder and shaking her head no. The young man not even twenty named days old looked at his sister in disbelief but the certainty in her copper-colored eyes smothered any words his angered lingua could lash out with.

Smiling at her younger brother and even supplying him with a hug, she turned towards Doran who was stepping away from the chair with the golden spear. "We are all of the same mind, Doran. Now we just need to prepare… though we don't have much time."

"I can't leave Sunspear right now but rest assured that I will have Areo set up the most capable guard Sunspear has to protect you." Actually, he'd hold that conference with the Head of the Guard as soon as this meeting was done.

"And I will be part of this guard! We left you alone in that awful place once before and I won't make that mistake a second time." Oberyn made that promise while also holding Elia's hand and squeezing it carefully.

When she looked at Doran and Oberyn an unequivocally delighted smile lit up Elia's beautiful face. She didn't tear up from the show of support but she came awfully close. "Thank you for all of your help. It's nice to have my family back. I also have my own requests to make."

Not expecting her to say that Doran's graying eyebrows rose up against his forehead. "Of course, what do you need?"

"First, Rhaenys needs to remain here. I will have Ashara watch over her while I'm gone. My daughter will not go anywhere near that evil place." The fire burning in her brown eyes could have melted even the Iron Throne.

Both brothers bobbed their heads in immediate approval to the first request. Naturally, they wanted their niece as safe as she could be. "Consider it done" Doran made sure that he verbally committed to Elia's appeal.

"And second, I want Naruto to be part of my personal guard. I know Oberyn will be there but I won't go unless Naruto is also at my side." She was anxious about returning to the Landing but the idea of Naruto being there put an ease on some of those worries.

"That will be up to him. Naruto is not under our banner and as such not under my command, but from what I've seen of him, I believe he will agree."

A smile warmed Elia's lips, happy that Doran wasn't against the inclusion of Naruto. There was no bringing up his potential danger or loyalty and that was what made her happy. It was an indication that her month's work of including Naruto in their lives was working. "That will be all."

"Very good, now if you'll excuse me, I need to speak with Areo about the preparations." Giving both of his siblings a nod, the current Lord of Sunspear left the room.

Oberyn saw no reason to hang around a stuffy room like this any longer. He directed himself at Elia with a grin. "Come on sister, let's go find my nieces! Knowing who they're with, they could be anywhere in Sunspear."

Elia laughed but knew his words to be true. "Yes, let's,"

* * *

_Somewhere in Sunspear_

Lurking on the teeth-like partitions on the first Winding Wall was the blonde assassin, Naruto. His cerulean orbs were lingering on the horizon while a pair of small laughs sung on both sides of his body. He balanced himself on one leg with his arms spread out at his sides like one of those scarecrows that many a farmer in Westeros used to keep away pesky avians.

This was just one of his many training exercises. This one, in particular, was one he used to help practice balance and patience. He did have an enhancement to his training this time around. It came in the form of two young girls literally sitting on his outstretched arms.

Rhaenys found herself on his right arm while Arianne was relaxed on his left. The weight of each girl should have made his arms bow to some degree but the assassin's limbs remained perfectly straight, unbent. Their position was precarious but in spite of that, there wasn't a single thought among the three that any of them might take that tumble off the tall wall.

She never got the chance to do something risky like this so Arianne was basking in the opportunity afforded to her by Rhaenys and Naruto. Thanks to being the daughter of Doran Martell she found it troublesome to have fun in Sunspear because more often than not people were too fearful of angering her father, but not Naruto. He had no such qualms. "I didn't know Naruto was strong _and_ fast!"

The youngest of the group brought her hands to her mouth and giggled into them as her legs continued to swing back and forth in the gentle breeze that licked against her. "Yup! Naruto's the best! He can do anything!" She proclaimed with no shortage of sureness in her exclamations.

Chuckling at the totally innocent conversation spanning his shoulders, Naruto was careful to ensure that his merriment didn't jostle his body in a way that disturbed their balance on his arms. "If you keep talking me up like that Rhae my ego is going to burst."

Elia's daughter blinked a number of times as her face curled up in confusion. "What's ego?" She posed the question to her friend and cousin.

Arianne slid a thumb along one of her eyebrows and pushed out her lips in thought. "I think that means you're making him feel happy?" The Princess of seven years made her guess but even she sounded uncertain.

The blonde grinned at the attempt to decipher the word but decided against correcting Arianne's slight error in identifying the word's meaning. "Oh really? Why didn't you just say so?"

That was the final nail drilled into his coffin and it broke the blonde who outright laughed, a sound that billowed freely from his upturned lips. An assassin he may be but there wasn't much he enjoyed more than seeing the brightness in young souls like Rhaenys. "I don't know Rhae, sorry! And how about you Arianne, it's been a few days?"

Two dark eyes in the chubby girl's face shone through like the sun as an ideal smile ran full over her face. "I've been spending time with my baby brother! I tried to get him to say my name but the most he can manage is Ari."

"Don't worry, Quentyn is only two, I'm sure he'll be saying your name soon enough," Naruto reassured Arianne with a smile, almost able to feel the disappointment becoming palpable as the girl on his left arm pouted despondently.

"Yeah Arianne, I know that you'll be an awesome big sister!" Rhaenys hopped into the boat with Naruto, her broad smile fueling the fledgling confidence that started to multiply in the oldest child of Doran Martell.

Before pleasantries could be exchanged any further, Naruto's eyes subtly glanced to look behind him. "Alright girls, it's time to get down." And to show that they had no choice, he took a step backward which put the three of them on a more sure-footed ground.

"Awh, why?" Rhaenys mouthed with a whine that sparkled deep in her brown eyes. It was a question shared by Arianne who also looked to the tall blonde for an answer.

"Because your mom is right around the corner Rhaenys, and what did I tell you two when it comes to your parents?"

"To never tell them about the things that we do!" The two answered him and in unison which made Naruto smile proudly. Who knew he'd be building habits of disobedience in the next generation of Dornish nobility?

"Exactly, now put your chin up, Elia and Oberyn are on their way up."

His words proved to be prophetic when not twenty seconds later the trio were joined by Elia and Oberyn. The latter of the pair wasn't able to keep his tongue stilled in his mouth. "Okay, this is weird." He said in reference to the way that all three of them were staring at them from the moment they arrived.

Elia shrugged off his comment, more than used to the strange things that happened when Naruto was involved. Walking up to Naruto till they were chest to chest, she stood on her toes so that she could whisper into his ear and hide what she needed to say.

Rhaenys watched this and thought that the contact meant something else. That something made her smile with such brightness that it'd make a diamond look like coal.

"I have to go back to King's Landing."

* * *

_Road outside of Sunspear_

"Are you sure that you won't take a carriage?" Doran's hopes only seemed even more far fetched when Oberyn from his horse beside Elia laughed openly at the request.

Elia was not in some wooden box but on a horse like everyone else in the party. She tightened the loop her arms had around Naruto's stomach as she looked upon her older brother from over the blonde's shoulder. "I will be on horseback like everyone else. I am not some doll to be locked away, brother."

"You are no such thing, Elia. I only want to make sure that you are comfortable." His tone and the look in his eyes took a much stiffer variant when the wise man alternated his focus to the whiskered person who sat in front of his sister. "If anything happens to her then it's on your head, assassin."

Far from concerned with the threat thrown his way, Naruto merely smirked at Doran in return. They may have come to an understanding of sorts but their relationship had some ground to travel before they'd be calling each other friend.

The eldest Prince's facial muscles flocked into a frown when Naruto didn't deem it necessary to issue a verbal response… but he knew silence was the best he'd get from Naruto. It annoyed him to no end how defiant the blonde was but he had the favor of both of Doran's siblings so there was little he could do that didn't risk fracturing his family. "I won't hold you back any longer."

Maneuvering his horse to face the rest of the men who'd come with them to King's Landing, the Red Viper pulled back on the leathers and forced his horse into a gallop that took him to the front of their sizable group. "Ready yourself my friends, you're going to have a heavy stallion bucking between your thighs all day long! I hope you can take this ride! Let's go!"

A stampede of hooves on the sandy terrain was paired with the laughter of the men on those horses as the journey to the King's Tourney began. With the Red Viper at the point of the formation they discussed, the grouping began to form up as the mounts sped onward.

Their design was a simple one. They were in a diamond formation with Elia placed in the distinct center of their cluster alongside the ever-dangerous assassin who loomed as the last line of defense should the unlikely need that he was required ever arise.

Other than the wind there wasn't much around that disrupted the professional air around the group that was racing through the seemingly endless desert that surrounded their every pace. The expedition was a handful of hours old when Naruto finally ended the coat of silence on his and Elia's shared ride. "Are you ready for what's coming?"

Elia had no need for an explanation to know what her horse-mate was asking of her. "I don't think that I'll know for sure until I'm in the situation." She confessed into the back of Naruto's shoulders, worry and warmth worming together in her words.

Gazing down on the chestnut-colored steed that thundered on one stride at a time, Naruto nodded his head while the rest of him jolted and rocked in tandem with the momentum of the muscular creature. "I'll be right there with you."

Confidence

Elia thought that word perfectly embodied Naruto, even more so than the word assassin. It didn't seem to matter who he was facing. It could be a man with political clout or a world famous warrior, Naruto looked them in the eye and continued to be himself… and that man was here with her.

Naruto's keen blues followed the small particles of sand being displaced by the hooves in front of them before he offered a suggestion. "We're still four hours out from Vaith. You should try to get some rest. We may have hoods on but the sun is still very much a problem."

"I think you might be right."

The remaining four hours weren't notably fast but neither were they particularly slow and when they made land in Vaith it was nearing six in the evening and the fall sun was on its way down for the day.

The Lord of House Vaith was kind enough -or smart enough- to provide the group an entire inn for housing. Cleared out, the inn became an easy reason for the men to take a break and have a party with plenty of drinks. The duty to remember moderation fell to each man.

Naruto was not one of those men because he wasn't partaking in the party. Tucked away in his room, the dealer of death was sitting upon his desk, shirtless, and in a meditative position. At this time of night in the desert biome, most of Dorne's people would have two layers of clothing on because these nights were cold… only second to the far north. Naruto, however, welcomed the chill that wrapped around his body like a lover.

Using the cold to test his concentration, Naruto's stationary person remained in perfect synchronization as he breathed in and then breathed out. His mind was emptied of any previous thoughts and in place was a barren void that further helped Naruto detach himself from his physical body. He was about to reach the peak of what meditation could provide when the door to his room opened.

Naruto cracked open one of his blue eyes to find it was Elia who opened the seal that kept his little slice of the inn isolated from the jubilation outside. Totally forgetful that he was naked from the waist up, he sent a smile Elia's way. "How are you enjoying House Vaith's hospitality?"

What plan she had in mind was thrown into total disarray thanks to how Elia found Naruto. Forget him being on the desk, the granted view of his bare chest and abdomen doing unfair things in tandem with his breathing neatly tied up her tongue. Her brain immediately made the decision that up close was much better than viewing it from afar. "Ah… uh, yes! They were very kind to give us as much as they did."

Her modest response elicited a chortle from the blonde who had a very different interpretation of what House Vaith's gesture meant. "I think it would've been an insult you and Oberyn had they offered any less. Those slimy nobles couldn't imagine offending someone who can do something for them."

Anyone who spent enough time around the blonde of a single name knew how he felt about the ruling class and she was no exception. "You don't mind if I sit on your bed, do you?" She probed, her eyes doing the admirable work of staying glued to his face and no lower.

But the temptation...

Naruto brushed his arm towards the mattress. "By all means, someone should get some use out of that thing."

Elia pretended that his words didn't bother her as she shuffled over to sit on the foot of Naruto's bed. She smoothed out the fabric that laid over her thighs then she looked at the blonde and his unconventional seat. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

Naruto quickly picked up on the signs in her voice that told him Elia was being extremely serious right now. Nodding his head, he gave her every ounce of his attention. "I'm all ears, what is it that you wanted to chat about?"

"The Mountain"

The mere mention of that vile monster was enough to make the assassin's skin bristle with thick animosity. Naruto's warm eyes cooled down a number of notches and Elia was glad that his deadly glare wasn't meant for her. "What about him?"

Frowning heavily, her gesture was dripping with contempt, just like Naruto's. "I believe that he'll be taking part in the Tourney's events."

He had a feeling for where this conversation was going but Naruto wanted to hear the words come from Elia's mouth. "A lot of men travel from their homes to win gold and fame in these types of events." He remarked, trying to sound neutral about such things.

"And I couldn't give two shits about those men!" She shouted through his calm claim, that famous Dornish temper coming to a blistering head.

Naruto remained unmoved by the anger being thrown at him which was very much like the first time he met Elia Martell. Sitting there as still as a statue of stone, his blue eyes drilled into Elia's bubbling anger. He remained this way for a long moment before his tempered words were deployed. "What do you want from me, Elia?"

Channeling the dark, justified section of herself, Elia's lips parted far enough to show off a fearless scowl that excellently depicted the emotions that forced her blood into a boil. "I want you to kill him!" The request was a simple one but at the same time a complex request.

"...to kill Gregor Clegane, to break the Mountain"

Elia stormed to her feet and stomped over to where Naruto was still sitting. His position of choice left him much higher up than she was but no height difference could dampen the intensity lurking in her eyes. "I can't wait any longer! I trusted your word, but I need this! I want you to promise me that you'll do your best to kill him, promise me, _again_!"

He shut his eyes and dragged in a breath of fresh air that was further stretched out as it trickled through his defined body, a body that was also his most deadly weapon. "I promise that I will do my best to kill the Mountain during the King's Tourney." He made the vow that bound him to a path that was thrust upon him by a wronged mother, by a woman who was nearly taken against her will and killed.

Not thinking, only reacting from the heart, the Princess took Naruto by the wrists and pulled him off the desk and onto his feet. Now that their height was a bit more manageable, she wrapped him up in an embrace, uncaring that he was only half dressed. That was a thought so far from her mind. Right away the warmth rolling off his body pressed through her clothing and made her sigh… or was it the relief of having Naruto's promise that brought forth her sigh?

Naruto moved to duplicate her friendly gesture with his eyes still closed until he felt something against his forehead. When he opened his eyes he almost jerked back when he found the soft, expressive eyes of Elia Martell waiting for him. It felt like those eyes were prying him apart one layer at a time in the most alluring of ways. Their foreheads were resting on each other, her arms were draped tenderly around his neck, but there wasn't anything to convince Naruto that he should look away from those eyes that held his gaze. "Elia?"

His quiet question of surprise sparked Elia to once again engage in the conversation that she started. "I know that I made you promise me but you better not die. If you do die then I will never forgive you." Was it morbid for her to say? Yes. But it was also the only way that she could think of to express herself… with words at least.

Judging by the way that Naruto's blue eyes mellowed down into something softer, it seemed that the blonde understood every bit of the message that Elia was trying to convey, emotion and all. He would've nodded his head if not for how it was pressed to hers. "When you put it that way, how can I possibly refuse you?"

A gentle giggle sprawled free of the Princess. Her warm breath splashed ever so subtly against Naruto's mouth as a consequence of their closeness. "Why do you think I said it? They weren't words that were randomly put together."

Unable to help the grin forming, the assassin stared at the southern woman with an impressed shine in his eyes. Who would've thought that the gentle lady in his arms would be the one doing the manipulating "You clever little snake!"

"I may not be strong but one doesn't need powerful muscles to be dangerous~"

"And no doubt your viper's tongue is as sharp as any sword!"

The back and forth left them in fits of laughter, the looming shadow of Gregor Clegane forgotten for the night.

* * *

_King's Landing, Crownlands_

Jon Arryn was a man respected for his honor and political acumen but it would be wrong to say that he was the picture of physical health. He had the general frame of a man in his prime but the stress of a difficult life had turned the middle-aged man's hair a dusty gray, and when his lips moved the spaces in his mouth showed missing teeth to go with blue eyes and sprinkled in remnants of blonde, his original hair color.

In quiet moments like these, Jon Arryn lamented that he stepped out of the Vale and got involved in the titanic mess that was politics around the Iron Throne and King's Landing, and the mess was barely two months old.

Then he remembered why he did the things he did. The short answer was Robert Baratheon, his one time ward and now King of the Seven Kingdoms, a man that he was happy to see as the son that he always wanted.

A feeling of commotion in front of him forced the new Hand to look up and find that the entourage from the south had arrived. Elia, Oberyn, and Naruto dismounted from their respective horses. He put on a genuine smile and did the task assigned to him. "Greetings Prince Oberyn, Lady Elia, I welcome you to King's Landing."

Oberyn was the first of the group to step forward. "Thank you for coming out to meet us. My brother, Prince Doran sends his apologies with me seeing as how he was unable to attend." This was total lip service but at the very least it was a polite way to open things between their two sides.

"A shame but these are busy days for us all. Perhaps next time Lord Doran will be able to make the climb from the south." Jon went to greet Elia but when he stepped forward Naruto moved so that he was in between the Hand and Elia. Thankfully the learned man understood the message and stopped where he was. "I hope your journey here wasn't too strenuous, Lady Elia?"

Elia subtly put her hand on Naruto's back as her eyes slowly zoned in on the older Arryn instead of staying on the city like they were. "It was quite uneventful, thank you for asking."

Jon hoped that putting any worries out beforehand would make their upcoming talks easier on all parties. "Don't worry my lady, I have put every precaution possible into making sure that your stay in King's Landing is as safe and as comfortable as possible."

With Naruto acting as a buffer, she responded quite frankly. "I don't think there will come a day where I'll ever be comfortable in this city, Lord Hand."

Although he was disappointed by the response he got, the Protector of the Vale moved on to the blonde who had yet to take his cerulean eyes off of him. "And who are you?" Jon toned himself down to make certain his question came off as being polite.

Here Oberyn chose to introduce his friend in the blonde's place. Throwing an arm over Naruto's shoulders, he fired off a roguish grin at the political official in front of them. "Why this is the man that stopped the Mountain cold! This is Naruto, a man here to make sure that my dear sister is safe at all times!" Anytime he was able to brag about the shared defeat of the Mountain and the Lannisters then he would and in doing so this time he could put a wrench in any plans that the crown might or might not have.

It was only there for a moment but stiffness grasped Jon Arryn. He was forced to look upon Naruto differently, weariness poorly veiled in an expression rife with shock. Once composure returned to him so did his voice. "I see… it's a pleasure to meet you, Ser Naruto."

Naruto's facial expression remained as flat as the ground beneath his feet. "I'm as much of a Ser as any of the people living in your city's crappy Flea Bottom." Hidden underneath the cutting cold in his tone was a sense of sadness for the poorest denizens of the Crownlands.

To his credit, Jon's face fell as he was reminded of the oppressive lives that so many in King's Landing had to try and survive. "Yes, I have seen the depths that the Targaryens have bled the poor. It's my hope that with more time in my station I'll be able to help those in Flea Bottom."

They may have shared the same goal but Naruto held no trust that the new Lord Hand could achieve their shared vision. "Hopes die with men and women, it is an action that lasts."

"Maybe we can debate ideologies later, I'm afraid that we need to report to the King. My squire will show your men to their housing for your stay but we must go. The closer we are to the Tourney the more impatient the King becomes." Jon admitted with the faintest sighs of frustration.

Oberyn nodded his head and even found a reason to grin. "Very well, and who knows, maybe we might be allowed to partake in the festivities!"

* * *

_Red Keep, Throne Room_

'If anyone would've told me that I'd see that chair of swords two times in my life then I'd call them insane.' These were the kind of thoughts that the assassin who had stopped King's Landing from exploding into flames thought as he walked into the Throne Room.

Naruto's inspection of the room -something that he did every time that he entered a new space- brought him to one of the few people he met when he was last here. Jaime Lannister was looking at him with confusion in his narrowed green eyes.

Figuring he could have some fun, the killer sent a smirk the way of the two-time Kingsguard. His response only served to make the conflicted expression on Jaime's face deepen much to the assassin's amusement. 'Oh, he'll have some questions for me later.'

He floated his eyes over Jon Arryn where he eventually found the man on the Iron Throne, Robert Baratheon. 'The Demon of the Trident.' Naruto named the new King in his head. While he may have been sitting it was clear that Robert was even taller than him which had to put him well over six feet in height. Dense, dark hair and bright blue eyes were prominent on the man who had plenty of muscles which helped him swing that massive war hammer no doubt.

Not to be forgotten was his Queen, a beautiful woman with striking golden hair and emerald eyes that held a low-level of intensity even in silence. Her figure was slender but that only helped to emphasize the swell of her breasts which were covered modestly in a red and gold dress that was tight to her figure.

"My King, Lady Queen," Oberyn's leg stretched off to the side as he bowed. Elia dipped her head respectively in turn. The only person to remain upright was the assassin who had his eyes on the circle of lions around the room's walls.

Either Robert did not care enough about Naruto or he didn't see the blonde because his focus was on the more famous male in the trio. "Ah! The young Red Viper. I have been hearing plenty of your exploits lately! It's a shame that I did not get to face you in battle during the war!"

"You should be glad that you didn't fight me, my lord. If we had crossed paths then you would've never made it to that throne." His flamboyant, youthful response sucked the air right out of the room.

And the room was given life again when the King unleashed a wave of deep laughter that originated from the gut. "Haha! Now that's the response of a warrior! It's nice to finally find someone with some spine around here! Ain't that right, _Kingslayer_?" Robert mocked one of his two most skilled guardsmen. Clearly, Robert still held onto resentment over Jaime stealing the pleasure of killing Aerys II from him.

Another of Robert's knights, Ser Barristan Selmy kept an eye on Jaime. The Lannister knight looked visibly frustrated but he refrained from barking back, much to the older Kingsguard's relief.

While this played out, Queen Cersei's sharp eyes lingered in Naruto's direction. She stared down the blonde who had the same mane of hair that many of the Lannisters did but the difference was as clear as the blue eyes he put on her. Seeing him head on sparked something inside of her because it made Cersei remember. "You're him, you're the one who defeated Ser Gregor."

Sadly for Naruto, whenever the Queen spoke people listened… which is why every set of eyes in the room came crashing down on him. It didn't matter if it was the people who already knew or if they just found out, everyone was staring at him. Their collective gaze made him feel like an animal in a cage, and that ticked off the assassin.

"That was me, your grace." He schooled his emotions down to a more even level. Doing so meant that he was actively resisting the urge to frown at the beautiful woman as he spoke.

Cersei may have been properly set back in her seat but that didn't prevent the interest that painted her green eyes from being painfully obvious. She may as well have been leaning forward on the edge of her seat. "My father would like to speak with you about what happened on _that _day."

Any affinity he had to entertain a meeting with Tywin Lannister was brought to a swift end when he heard Elia's sharp intake. He didn't know if it was a gasp or a hiss but it didn't matter. Disguising himself with a fake smile, Naruto bowed his head marginally. "I'm afraid that I can't do that. It's my duty to be at Lady Elia's side at all times."

It was dangerous grounds to openly deny the Queen as he did but Naruto showed no signs of being persuaded to change his plans. His courage or imprudence led to Cersei lifting one of her perfectly trimmed eyebrows. "You would deny your Queen?"

Naruto didn't need to respond because someone else spoke for him. That person turned out to be Cersei's husband, the King. "Give it a rest Cersei, he's here to protect Elia Martell, not to be a gopher for your father. If Tywin wants to talk to him then he can do it some other time!"

The only sign that exhibited proof of her annoyance was the frown that tarnished her elegant face. "I suppose you're right, my love." **[1]**

Turning his crowned head back around to the group that was in front of him, the King of the Iron Throne took a much heavier expression, gone were the bits of annoyance and sadness from before. "It has been brought to my attention by my Hand that you, Elia Martell were no longer the wife of Rhaegar. While I don't know whose hand he took, the records say that this change happened before I butchered him at the Trident. Is this true?"

She was on the road to recovery but the reminder that Rhaegar chose Lyanna Stark over her still brokered a response from Elia. Her clear and obvious frown was that response. "This is correct, my King."

Judicious eyes around the room would recognize the building unrest inside of Robert. Now his fingers were tapping frantically on the stiff arm of the throne instead of laying at peace. "Then the Rapist saved your life." The kingly stag spouted his vitriolic hatred with no filter.

Robert's hatred of the previous royal family ran as deep as all of the world's oceans, never to end and never to dry up. He'd never forget, let alone forgive the family of the man that literally stole his betrothed from him, the beautiful Lady Stark. And if he was able to kill every last Targaryen then he'd do just that with a thirsty smile on his face, the proof being Aegon.

"I suppose he-"

Before anyone from Dorne could even think to breathe a sigh of relief, the King's hatred barreled ahead, making it clear that there was nothing to contain his fury. "But your daughter, she is a Targaryen, a fucking dragonspawn!"

His shout was timed with him jumping out of the throne. His hammer rattled off the metal plates on the side of his body. The sound was like the tolling of a bell because Robert's red wraith set everyone into motion. Oberyn reached for his spear, eyeing the Lannister guards all around the room. Naruto immediately placed himself between the seething monarch and Elia.

Robert Baratheon may not have been the Mountain but his body and pure combat skill made him just as large of a threat, if not more of a threat than the man whose eye Naruto took. Then there was the status of King that could prove to be a problem. Oh but that wouldn't stop Naruto.

The throne room weighed with gold was spared from seeing a bloodbath thanks to Jon Arryn taking a decisive step forward. "Robert, stop this madness now! Would you rather be called Robert, First Of His Name or Aerys III?"

A comparison between him and the family he hated was probably the only thing that could have cut through the unholy hatred that the Baratheon had for the dragons from the Stone. His glare was so deeply placed that it almost looked like his eyes were bloodshot. He needed a moment but eventually Robert deflated with one massive sigh. Falling back into his chair, the King looked drained, however, it was only for a moment. "There's no need to yell."

Political decorum was left at the wayside during this moment of many passions. Jon could only sigh at his King's response. It was times like these that it was easier for him to see Robert as the boy he fostered in the Vale and not the man who broke the foundations of Westeros. With things calmed down, he was able to look at Elia who was in between Naruto and Oberyn, her two deadly sentries. "Lady Elia, all you need do is revoke your daughter's right of succession to the throne and agree that from this day forth she will go by the name Rhaenys Martell."

Elia took the breath that got stuck in her throat when she thought they might be attacked. When she finished her sigh she looked up at the man she remembered thinking might be her salvation. He was no salvation. He was every bit the monster that the loyalists named him during the war. She glanced at Cersei who was content to sit back and watch behind Jaime who stepped in front of her after Robert's outburst. He was a monster that laid in bed with the Lannisters. "I, Elia Martell, as the mother to Rhaenys Targaryen do forfeit her right to the Iron Throne through succession. From this moment on, Rhaenys Targaryen no longer exists. My daughter Rhaenys Martell will be a proud, loyal daughter of Dorne."

The man from Vale looked to the King and after receiving a nod he turned back to Elia, looking past Naruto to do so. "Your proclamation has been accepted. A formal document will be sent to your quarters to be signed on the morrow."

Jon expected something more than a nod but when he saw the state of the people in the room he understood why Elia was so short with her response. "For Seven's sake, take your hands off your weapons, you fools!"

Hearing the normally calm Jon Arryn screaming at them forced the hand of the Kingsguards. That didn't stop some like Barristan Selmy and Jaime Lannister from looking relieved when they did so.

Breathing easily once more, Elia leaned forward so that her words would be more easily heard by Naruto. "Thank you" Naruto's only response was a twitch of a smile.

Oberyn took a definitive look to verify that things cooled down. When he witnessed the guards backing up he too removed his hand from the shaft of his spear. "With that bit of nasty business over, I have a request for the King."

The former Lord of Storm's End dragged up an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"How about you add mine and Naruto's name to your Tourney Events?"

* * *

_Day of the Melee_

The day of the Melee portion of the King's Tourney had finally arrived and with it, a prevailing sense of genuine excitement was injected into King's Landing. The people affected the most were the poor because the Tourney gave them room to breathe, to live, which was something they couldn't do under threat of death during the tyranny of the Mad King.

Not only that but the number of shops that opened on the tourney grounds were so varied and cheap that even the people living day to day could afford to purchase food, drink, and other things before the event of the day began, an event that was open viewing to every man, woman, and child in King's Landing.

The smell of food cooking filled the air along with happy people talking and laughing. To Naruto, who was meditating in the staging area for fighters, it was like experiencing a brand new place compared to the one he visited months ago… though the smell was the same. Against himself, a smile gradually crawled over his lips. The good mood in the city was downright contagious.

He couldn't think long about the things around him because he needed to focus on the fight that laid in front of him. The Melee was the second event on the first day of the Tourney, happening after the Archery Competition and before the Joust on the second day. Thanks to Elia and Oberyn, he found himself a contestant in this event.

Logistically, the Melee consisted of five heats with fifty men from around the world in each heat. The heat would be settled once there was only one man standing. Competitors could be eliminated through forfeiting or death until the heat's end. Once all five heats were settled the five victors were to conclude the Melee in a free for all championship round where the winner would be awarded 15,000 gold dragons.

Naruto was in the second heat of the day which is why he was centering himself with meditation instead of going through a warm-up like some of the men around him. There was a part of him that wondered who he'd be fighting but then again not knowing was part of the Melee. 'Not that I should have any trouble. Well, maybe if the other forty-nine men come at me at once.' He chuckled off the unlikely thought.

"It's good to see that you're in high spirits." The Melee fighter looked to his left where the smirking face of Jaime Lannister was present. He was peering through the fence but Naruto could still see the whiskers of facial hair building on his jaw. "You know, I was worried about how you might have fared in the Sack. It looks like my worries were misplaced."

Continuing the chuckle from earlier, the blonde sprung to a stand. He stretched out his back before he moved over to the fence, wearing a grin on his tanned face. "Jaime Lannister, I see you've survived this pit of vipers. How have the days been to you?"

Jaime shifted so that his shoulder was braced against the fence which held upright even with his weight against it. "I've had good days and bad days. When you consider all I used to have were bad days, I can say it has been a drastic improvement."

"Sounds like the Sack was much better to you than it was to the others in power." Naruto sounded off with a wicked, little smirk. Memories of killing the former Hand made Naruto feel good to this day.

"Naruto, about the Sack, I want you to know that I had no idea that the Mountain had orders to kill Elia Martell and her children. If I had known then perhaps I could have spoken to my father beforehand." His father told him that the generic order was to clean the Red Keep of loyalists but Jaime wasn't dumb enough to think that his father didn't count on Elia and her children being there at the same time as the Mountain.

Jaime knew better than anyone that he had moments where he did questionable things but to kill children when there were so many other options available made even the gold-blooded Kingsguard feel uncomfortable… doubly so that the Mountain was always so close to people like his sister. What if Gregor snapped one of these days? What would happen to his sister then?

The smile worked into Naruto's face was wiped away and in its place was a frown that many people didn't live long enough to see. "I should hope not, Jaime. Anyone that knew Gregor Clegane was going to kill Aegon and Rhaenys and rape Elia will be answering to me." Naruto promised under the depths of a frigid whisper.

Feeling a sudden coldness piercing through his person, Jaime pulled on the gold cloak around his body that much tighter. "So… a little something about you…" Jaime muttered more than happy to try and change the subject.

"What about me?"

"Back then, I asked if you were a fighter, you told me no… but then you went on to stop the Mountain and take one of his eyes. Why lie about that?" Jaime wouldn't say that he was upset by the omission but more annoyed than anything else.

Unmoved by the spike in Jaime's emotions, Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "Fighter sounds like something clean, I'm nowhere near as honorable as that. I do what it takes to get the results that I want, no matter what people might think of me."

There was an unquestioned period of awkward silence for a handful of moments as both blondes kept quiet for varying reasons. "Erm, so where does this leave us?" Gods, he wanted to kill himself for how awkward the words felt coming off his tongue. He wondered if Naruto felt any semblance of what he was feeling?

"Don't hurt innocent folk and don't help the wrong people then you'll live just fine, my friend," There wasn't any mistaking the tone of Naruto's warning but the wording was enough to make Jaime's head spin metaphorically.

Jaime wasn't able to hold back the way that his eyes rolled after Naruto's answer. "Yes, because that isn't terribly unclear." The rather famous knight replied with a heavy dosage of sarcasm that was becoming more and more natural to him.

A smirk tweaked at the corner of Naruto's lips. "It's only confusing if you already have a foot in business that's shady. You aren't stuck in the pits of muck, are you Jaime?"

There was something about the way that Naruto spoke which made Jaime's chest feel tight beneath his breastplate. There was the way that he was being looked at through the fence that made those blue eyes feel like an animal waiting on its next meal. "No…"

"Then there's no need to ruffle your coat!" And as easy as that the unnatural pressure coiling itself around Tywin's prodigal son loosened, much to the immediate and immense relief of one Jamie Lannister.

While Jamie was busy trying to regulate the slight palpitation in his heart. Naruto looked back to the men around him. A portion of the traffic lightened because fighters went out to the field of battle which meant there was more room for the rest of them. "Who do you have in heat one?"

"Ser Barristan Selmy" Was the immediate, snap response given to Naruto by the Kingsguard. The heart of the matter was there simply wasn't anyone with the skill to challenge Barristan the Bold in his opening round.

"I imagine that you're right. He would be the betting favorite for his trial." Naruto's composure hid the fact that he was downright giddy at the potential chance to test mettle against such a legendary knight.

"I have to say, I was quite surprised to hear from my sister that you were participating in the Melee." If he was honest, hearing Naruto's involvement in the brawl made Jaime wish he had put his name forth back when the choice was given to the men of the Kingsguard.

"Yes, well, that was Oberyn's idea."

"I'm sure that you realize the Mountain is also part of these fights?" Jaime said cautiously of the subject that he saw to be rather iffy for his fellow blonde.

Naruto's eyes closed and for only a moment his face looked serene but then this haunting smile worked over his expression. In the darkness created by a passing cloud, Jaime thought he must have been seeing things because it looked like his friend's facial marks were darker.

"That's what I'm counting on."

* * *

_Melee Grounds_

The first melee heat wrapped up in just over an hour with Barristan Selmy winning it all, just like Jaime had said, and now the second heat was underway. Naruto stood stock still in an actual sea of humanity and heat, stationary despite what was happening around him.

More so than the people in the fight, Naruto had an invested interest in the viewing pavilion where all the nobles found their seats. His eyes quickly picked out Elia, Oberyn, and some Martell guards. They were on the far left of the pavilion under the furthest extremity of the overhanging roof.

Next to the Martell family was the portion of space afforded to Mace Tyrell, Warden of the South and Holder of the Reach along with his wife, Alerie Tyrell, formerly Hightower. The Warden of the South was a round man with a full beard who currently feasting on an assortment of ripe fruit. Naruto did notice that most of the man's guards were creating a line between Martell and Tyrell which he thought was odd.

In line on the other side of the Flowers of Highgarden was the current Lord of Storm's End, Robert's youngest brother, Renly Baratheon. Though unproven and not of true age, the boy of six held the title of Lord and was surrounded by more guards than any other on account of his age and relation to the King. He seemed to be most taken with the action unfolding on the ground below.

Closest to Renly was the King himself who had the second most protection of all the Lords, not that anyone sane would charge a perfectly-fit, war hammer armed Robert Baratheon. On Robert's right was Renly but on his left was Cersei who seemed to be giving orders to some girl. There were also a few officials standing behind Robert, one he recognized as Jon Arryn.

Lined up after the King's portion was Stannis Baratheon, a man of morals and of stern expressions if the frown on his face meant anything. His just personality and high standards made him a perfect fit for the Small Council where he served as Master of Ships.

And finally, there was the golden party of Lannisters with Tywin Lannister in the center of a cluster of golden knights. Next to him, drinking wine was a small man who much like Mace seemed more interested in the food and drink than the Melee. There were a number of smaller houses on the rows below but these were the main players.

'At least Jon Arryn wasn't blowing smoke and kept the Lannisters as far away from Elia as possible.'

"Die you, milksop!"

It was pure combat acumen that had Naruto swaying out of the reach of the sword that was just thrust at his gut. Apparently, someone had taken the liberty to attack him in the midst of this chaos. Not really looking at who, Naruto took the wrist attached to the offending sword and turned it the wrong way. There was a sharp crack, a cry, and a glint of the sword falling… that was until it was caught by Naruto and used to run through the stomach of its former master.

And all of this happened in less than five seconds.

When Naruto finally took the time to look at the man who attacked him, he saw an Essos sellsword dead at the end of what used to be a silver sword. Naruto used a smooth, upward tug to free the dripping weapon with a wet squelch. "That's why you don't charge blindly into the unknown…"

Planting his foot in the ground, Naruto turned sharply to the second man that came forth to fight him. The fighter from House Reed thought he had Naruto off guard but the blonde's swift reaction cut the man's head clean from his shoulders with a beautifully deadly swivel. "...you lose your life and your head."

Naruto walked away from his second kill of the Melee but he didn't get all that far before he locked gazes with a roguish looking man with the sigil of an azure cock preening on his chest. **[2]** A hungry smirk surged over his lips and he rushed at Naruto yet not before he cut down two men locked in a stalemate.

Hoisting his sword up, Naruto caught the descending stroke of two blades. Naruto locked himself in a test of strength with the man from House Swyft. Naruto's blue eyes were calm like water but his foe's dark eyes were jumped up with adrenaline. "I know your face."

The blonde assassin figured it wouldn't hurt to entertain the man for a moment. "Do you now?" Naruto inquired back like this was the most normal of conversations to have.

"Lord Tywin will give me enough gold to make my own house if I bring him your head!" His remark came with a nearly obscene amount of greed. Then again, Naruto supposed he shouldn't be surprised that the tournament drew this kind of man.

"That's easier said than it is done," Naruto remarked with a smile that would have alerted the man to something gone awry had he known the blonde better. Suddenly disengaging himself from the locking of swords, he made the Swyft man stumble forward and before he could catch himself, Naruto caught the man's throat with his sword. "And you're dead~"

When Naruto dislodged the sword he borrowed from number one a spurt of blood painted the chest piece of his leather armor but he took the addition in stride and looked around as blood poured off the biting edge of the Essos metal.

Flipping his grip, the assassin plunged his sword backward. His unseen target groaned out in pain as their thigh was pierced clean through its back. Unfortunately for them, Naruto was not done dishing out pain. He tore the blade up the man's thigh, cutting him all the way up to the hip before he abandoned the sword in the unlucky man's leg.

Naruto never bothered looking back since he already knew that the man would bleed out soon.

Although Naruto was weaving through competitors, the Melee ground was still very much crowded with hopeful warriors. This was proven all too true when someone was literally knocked back into Naruto's chest. Being the efficient professional that he was, the assassin caught the man and snapped his neck in one fluid motion.

"Hey! That was my kill you fuck!"

Naruto blinked then he glanced over the shoulder of the Frey that he just killed, appearing innocent… in a mocking kind of way. "Sorry, it's tough to hear with all the yelling from the crowd. Did you say that I stole _your_ kill?"

"That's exactly what I said, shit stain!" The man was in full armor adorned with what appeared to be oaks but he didn't have a helmet on for whatever reason. "I won't get past my brother Arys with fuckers like you in the way!" He seethed with a clear lack of self-control.

Ah, big brother issues.

"Here, I think I can fix this!" Naruto's head dipped back behind the man in front of his chest, though his blonde hair could still be seen clipping over the top of the dead man's head. "Come on you cur, ready your weapon so I can gut ya!" At first Naruto's tone was distinctly high but by the end, it was a deep, slurred mumble.

"Are you mocking me?" The Oakheart hopeful barked balefully at Naruto who continued to use the corpse as a puppet. The man from the Reach tried to look left and right past the body and at Naruto but anytime he tried Naruto shifted so that the body was in the way, actions that only inflamed the anger within the young knight.

"STOP FUCKING WITH ME!" He raised his broadsword high over his head and went to cleave through Naruto, corpse and all. The sword hung over his head when the buffer fell to the side. He had just enough time to widen his eyes before a trench knife was buried hilt deep in the center of his forehead, killing him instantly.

Naruto pulled his new weapon from the man's head and just in time because he was forced to duck a sweeping sword. He did lose a number of hairs to the close call but nothing more than that. "Huh, looks like there are some here taking this seriously. I almost didn't hear you coming over the roar of the crowd."

His words were directed at the two towering men that stood in front of him. Both of the newcomers were dressed in stag-like armors that were fitted with helmets and all. The metals they wore were dark and were accented with copper to give the design of their armor some flavor. The man on the left held onto a sword and shield while his compatriot sported a thick, spiked mace.

Glaring through his helmet and over the rounded top of his shield, the stag's blue eyes burned holes into an apathetic Naruto. "You've done well kid. If we kill you then someone will notice us for sure."

"With a win here there's no way that Lord Renly or Lord Robert won't knight at least one of us!" The man holding the mace grinned as the sunbeams illuminated the four-inch black spikes embedded into his mace.

Naruto whirred the saliva in his mouth a few times around then he gestured over his shoulder where a body was at rest a handful of feet back. "That's what happened to the last man who wanted to make his name at my expense, gentlemen."

"We aren't like that poor slob." The sword and shield user nodded his head towards his ally. Their nods were a sign that some kind of plan was to be sprung because that was when the two men began to bracket in Naruto.

He was more than aware that he was being circled but Naruto held his ground without fear. He may have been outnumbered and at a serious disadvantage when it came to gear but none of those points against wiped the smirk from the dangerous man's face. "Since you two showed that you can think, let me make you an offer. Take your weapons, forfeit the fight, and then you can both keep your lives."

"A true son of Storm's End doesn't run away! We'd rather die than be known as a coward!"

"So be it…" Naruto spun around and made a direct line for the man with the larger mace. Trench knives locked around his digits, he unleashed a series of rapid strikes that the big stag couldn't hope to block. Be it the inability for the mace to block or simply because he was slow, the man wasn't able to stop Naruto from puncturing his armor.

The bulky armor did its job for the most part but the sheer number of stabs from the whiskered man made the stag wince under his helmet. He was saved from having his staggering posture exploited further when his comrade bashed Naruto in the back with a shield.

Their problem was that instead of tumbling over, Naruto harvested the extra power pumped into him and transferred it into a brutally effective thrust that impaled one of his two trench knives in a crevice of the mace man's armor, right over his shoulder. His pain-riddled shout marked the proof that Naruto's knife found flesh.

Ignoring the discomfort from the studs in the rounded shield, he forced his body to shrug off the wooden buckler. Naruto used that breath of space to flip himself around. He was now facing the man who attempted to take his back. The blonde only had one trench knife left but that didn't stop Naruto from shredding into the shield.

Bracing for impact with his forearm, the standalone stag grunted against the tingling sensation in his forearm. It felt like his arm had insects crawling on it but he blocked the strike which is why he was able to look at Naruto with a satisfied smirk.

His mouth was forced to stay quiet when he caught Naruto coming in, in the middle of a punch!

"_**HA!"**_ The pure will of Naruto's exertion overpowered every other sound going. Particles of dirt rode blue wisps off the ground, all circling around Naruto as he slammed his balled up fist into the handle of the trench knife. When his tautly grasped fist hit the knife there was no faltering on Naruto's part. His flesh and bone clashed with steel warmed from his hand and continued on forward with fury.

Being bolstered with the energy of Naruto's determined punch, the trench knife split the shield and continued on through the stag's armor. The jetstream of blood left by the drenched knife would be a reminder that the steel failed the brave man from Storm's End.

If only the carnage carved out by the knife stopped there. The sanguineous soaked weapon soared unimpeded for another handful of feet before it cut out the throats of two men who couldn't have been any more clueless as to what was coming. With those two fatalities added on to the total death count, the knife's warpath finally ended when the blade buried itself in the concrete of the pavilion amidst a spider-web pattern of cracks and of course cries from the spooked nobles.

* * *

It was safe to assume that at least ninety percent of the noble people in the viewing area weren't paying attention to the blonde. Hells, he didn't even have a last name to pique any interests in the first place. But there were two people that had special attention settled on Naruto and they had their mouths left open in an unflattering manner.

"How powerful is that man?" Oberyn all but balked in his shock. Seeing the normally daring man rooted in place with shock was a testament to the incredulity of what just happened. It wasn't normal. It was otherworldly.

Unlike her rattled brother, Elia chose to keep her eyes on Naruto during this whole charade, apart from her seldom-used blinks. She saw every man that tried to take his life and watched every deadly response from her friend. "I…" Words failed her at this moment so all she could do was shake her head.

"This is real, right?" He felt obligated to ask that question while his hands wrapped around the railing in front of him so tightly that his knuckles went white. Oberyn sacrificed a moment to look to his left and at the knife in the concrete which was still dripping blood. "Yes, it's very real."

She couldn't hope to hear what Naruto was saying as he stood over one of his foes who was still alive. A lack of sound didn't stop the Viper Princess from being overcome with a bubbling admiration that heated her chest. She felt like a younger version of herself -not that twenty-three was old- and felt her heart beating faster. 'Naruto… you're amazing.'

As improbable as it felt, Elia saw Naruto turn in her direction. Through every person, both on the inside and outside of the Melee ground, his blue eyes locked up with her coffee-colored orbs. They connected with the other and for that captivating moment, Elia practically forgot to breathe. Her moment of suspension was snapped when a hand insistently jostled her right shoulder.

When she turned to the offending hand she shouted without even thinking about the nature of her response. "What!?"

The young man shied away from the anger of his sister. He certainly didn't see this kind of outburst coming from his more measured sibling. "I said, do you think that anyone else saw what Naruto did?"

That was a question that made the woman clothed in a green dress frown. She cast a critical eye to her surroundings, trying to judge if their reactions merited any concern on their part.

Mace was busy trying to have a conversation with young Renly. The King was focused on one of the largest jugs of wine Elia had ever seen. Meanwhile, the Queen had her eyes closed in a moment of quiet deliberation. "There might be some among the common people who saw what he did." She said after seeing some beyond the fence pointing at her friend and champion.

The youngest Martell wilted upon himself before he sighed heartily and fell backward into his chair with his cheeks collapsed and eyes closed. "Thank the Gods for the small things." He muttered beneath the expulsion of a sigh.

"I take that back, we may have a problem on our hands." Elia's voice wavered with concern because she had to direct her brother's attention to the far end of the pavilion. There Tywin Lannister was sitting with his narrowed eyes on Naruto. She could only guess what Tywin was thinking about.

There was a chain of colorful curses when Oberyn's gaze landed on the old lion. His wandering words were extreme even for his wicked tongue. "Shit" And that was how his outburst of obscenities ended.

"_Winner of heat number two, Naruto!"_

Both Martells were so taken with what was happening around them, that they completely forgot about the action down below. Looking back to the ground, they saw that a number of men were on the way out alive, and Naruto was pulling a sword from the belly of a Lannister.

Refocused on the Melee, Elia heard how the crowd cried in adulation for the winner. "They're chanting his name." She commented surprised by this turn of events. Most if not all of the crowd were men and women who were echoing Naruto's name. It was a sound that only grew louder when the blonde in the center of it all moved toward the fence to acknowledge as many of the people against the fence as he could.

"Come on sister, let's go visit our man of the people!"

**END**

* * *

**[1]:** To those surprised or confused why Cersei gave up the goose so easily, remember that when we are first introduced to the sharp Lannister Queen she has nearly two decades of anger built. Here at this point, she has only been married to Robert for less than two months. She hasn't had time to build overwhelming bitterness, hence her more soft response.

**[2]:** Azure cock meaning a rooster, not the male genitalia.


	7. Mountain vs Maelstrom

**Writer's Note:** I'm sorry for the delay between the release of chapter six and chapter seven. I'd love to publish these chapters frequently, but Fanfiction doesn't pay my bills, unfortunately. Working does

* * *

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill by now, I don't own Naruto or Game of Thrones. I'm just someone who likes to write.

* * *

_A New Game_

**Chapter Seven: Mountain vs. Maelstrom**

* * *

**Year 283 AC**

Those who were in charge of the tournament's logistics were kind enough to provide small tents to the winner of each heat. They could use these tents as a home of sorts between rounds. It was in one of these tents that Naruto resided in, perched on a stool wiping away the dried blood that painted his dark armor a faded crimson color. Drops of water slipped down his armor, but that didn't stop Naruto from making sure that his armor was clean.

His fingers continued to implement enough pressure to break up the dried flakes of blood that clung stubbornly to his leather armor while Naruto hummed along to a song in his head. After a final comb-over, Naruto held his equipment from beneath the shoulders to properly examine the state of his protective piece. He couldn't find any splotches of blood so he moved to his left and settled the armor on a stand so it could dry.

Now that his armor taken care of Naruto was able to take a breath and look at himself. He found he had a distinct lack of injuries. There wasn't a nick in his shirt or a blemish on his skin. This lack of marks is what let Naruto know he was at the top of his game. That was bad news for anyone unfortunate enough to be put against him in the Melee.

"That first round was a pretty decent trial run. The opponents will be of higher quality, but at least I know what to expect." It would've been a lie if Naruto said that he hadn't enjoyed his time in the Melee thus far. To Naruto, it was like coming back to life after a period of prolonged hibernation.

The Maelstorm got a distraction when the cloth curtain to his tent was brushed to the side. It became clear that the Martell siblings were the reason for that when they walked into his tent. He gave both Elia and Oberyn a smile before he moved to stand in front of the pair of siblings. "How's the tourney been so far?"

Elia was doing a shoddy job of hiding that she was checking Naruto over for injury. She was happy to see that even the blonde man's muted orange shirt was undamaged. "It's like every other tourney I've been too. With that said, I'm pleased that you won your round."

Oberyn continued from where his sister left off, his cheeky grin expanding from one dimpled cheek to the other. "It looks like you're becoming quite the popular man, Naruto. It won't be long before these people are calling you a hero." How often could an assassin be called a hero? It was a great story.

The subject of this would be story waved off the idea, considering it conjecture from his overactive friend. Naruto doubted that he was becoming anything resembling a hero to the people. A fight with a bunch of faceless nobles didn't make him a hero, or at least he didn't think so. "I don't know about that. They're probably behind me because I am like them in a way."

Elia was tempted to mention that every hero needed to start somewhere, but she held her tongue. She sent the assassin a smile that portrayed only a small amount of the admiration that coursed through her, instead of fanning the flames set up by Oberyn. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone fight like you Naruto. Your movements are so precise. It's like watching a dancer move through battle."

Taking her praise with an appropriate swell of pride, Naruto went to respond but stopped himself when he saw the way that Oberyn was sulking. "Hey, I'm an awesome fighter and your brother. Why don't you support me like that?"

She pulled off the imperious look excellently, with her fingers laced and her chin turned up. "If you were the best you wouldn't have lost to Naruto." The smirk that crept onto her lips betrayed the taunting tone that she used against Oberyn. The first to crack was Naruto, he was followed by Elia, and finally, Oberyn also fell to the wiles of laughter. It wasn't long before the whole tent was marinating with the sound of their merriment.

When their combined laughter finally fell off, there was a moment or two of silence until Oberyn brought forth the question that guided them here in the first place. "Naruto, what did you do to that man? A trench knife shouldn't be able to do what you forced it to do."

Naruto could thank his training for the lack of reaction in the immediate face of Oberyn's pointed question. "I've always been strong, ever since I could remember."

"No Naruto, we need an actual answer!"

This time Naruto did react, his lips jerked downward as his blue eyes stuck to the intense stare from a prying Elia Martell and her copper eyes. Sighing, he turned away from the pair and commenced to deliver some of the answers they sought. "I'm not lying when I say that I've always been strong. It's a bit difficult to describe, but I'll do my best. You see, I have this energy inside of me, and it flows through my body as blood does."

"You mean like magic?" In Westeros, magic wasn't as openly discussed as other things because of the Targaryens, but Essos didn't possess such prohibitions. Essos was also where Oberyn learned about the more supernatural aspects of their world.

The assassin's right cheek hitched up and bared one half of Naruto's mouth, which included a dash of white from his teeth. "Sort of, magic is a bit more difficult to describe than what I'm capable of using." He admitted with a faint shrug of his shoulders.

"What does that mean?" Elia may have been aware of some things about magic after living in the Targaryen house for long, but the way Naruto made things sound had her knitting her brows together in bewilderment.

"My teacher, he called what I use Chakra. It's a word from a forgotten tongue that roughly translates to life force, and it allows me to enhance my strength, among other things." To help lend credibility to his claim, Naruto focused some of his Chakra which caused a soft blue hue to spread over his arm.

Ignoring how the hairs on the back of his neck stood up on his skin, The Red Viper found himself gaping at the unnatural cloak of cerulean energy that encompassed the entirety of his friend's left arm. He had seen gold, Valyrian weapons, and more naked people than one could count, and here was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen. "Incredible… you said that you had a teacher? Where is he? Can he use this Chaktra too?"

Naruto chuckled under his breath at Oberyn's failure to reproduce the lost tongue. He waited until Oberyn and Elia looked away from his azure arm before he spoke again. He needed to make sure they were focused, so he didn't need to repeat himself. "First of all, it's called Chakra, not Chaktra. Second, my teacher is probably in some forest somewhere in Westeros. Finally, he can't use Chakra, but his connection with magic is what helped him find me when I was younger. He aided me with my gifts."

Elia couldn't help herself. She walked towards Naruto and took him by his arm. She wasn't sure what would happen if anything so when a jolt followed the contact she had to gasp inaudibly. "How? No, why, why can you do these things that no one else can?" Her question came at the same time that Elia felt a warm tingling sensation flow through her body.

He looked down at her fingers, which were on the inside of his forearm. The Chakra-user smiled at Elia's question, amused by it. "I asked my teacher the same thing, well almost. He told me that I have a connection with the land. Most people have ties to a country, but my ties are to the world itself. Or that's what he says, and I believe him."

"Like how Targaryens have a connection to dragons?"

The Savior looked to the Princess. He found that the southern lady was once again looking at the phenomenon manifested around his arm. "I guess it's a little something like that? Admittedly, I don't know much about the history between Targaryen and dragon."

Finally overcoming his shock, The Red Viper of Dorne asked a question to the blonde who only got more remarkable as the days passed. "What can you do with Chakra?"

"Chakra makes me stronger, it can be used to reinforce my body, it helps me climb surfaces if I stick it to my hands or feet, it helps me move faster-"

"That's how we got out of King's Landing so fast!" Elia cut in with an exclamatory outburst that went well with her brown eyes in their current state. Her eyes were wide, but they were also looking up at the grinning form of the extraordinary assassin.

Naruto confirmed her statement with a nod of his head. He also decided not to tell them about the downsides of Chakra, like what would happen to him if he used too much of his gift. Doing that would only upset Elia, and that was something Naruto wouldn't do without sufficient reason.

"_Ladies and gentlemen, the third heat is set to commence!"_

It was the voice of the crier that swept the area, capturing the attention of the three people in the tent. Oberyn reacted first when he looked back over his shoulder towards the rays of sunlight that seeped in from the sides of the slightly opened cloth. "We should get back to our seats, sister. I hear that Sandor Clegane is part of this next heat." **[1]**

Sandor Clegane was innocent when it came to her problems, but he suffered the burden of guilt by family blood in Elia's eyes. His family's name marked him as someone that Elia could never trust, not after what happened to her family at the hands of his monster of a brother. "Lovely, another Clegane,"

Her blatant sarcasm worked a laugh out of Naruto. There wasn't a moment where the unruly assassin was opposed to when Elia deviated from the path of a typical noble. He so disliked all that prim and proper behavior. His sudden laughter pulled Elia's attention back to him, and it came with a smile too. "I don't know why they're using real weapons in this tourney, but you be careful out there. Do you understand me?"

Taking a moment to tease his friend, Naruto hid his impish grin by bowing to Elia. "Yes, my princess~" He knew what kind of response he'd get from the woman with that response, but he chose it anyway.

Elia did not take the teasing well. She brought her hand down swiftly on the back of Naruto's head in response. He muttered out a brief _oww_, but that faux pain didn't last long before the blonde was laughing.

"By the way, Naruto, do you know how to use a spear?"

Naruto straightened himself out then he studied Oberyn curiously. "I'm competent with the weapon. Why?"

"Because I know you need a weapon for the championship round. I've decided that you'll use my weapon. I'll have one of the guards bring you _The Viper's Kiss_ before the final round starts!"

* * *

Meryn Trant

Gregor 'The Mountain' Clegane

Sandor Clegane

Barristan 'The Bold' Selmy

Naruto

Those were the names that found themselves as the last standing among their peers in the Melee. They were the five men who proved through might, speed, skill or savvy that they were the cream of the crop, some more viciously than others. This could lead one to think that there was mutual respect between the warriors, but that wasn't the entire truth.

Sandor glaring holes through Gregor was the first example of this truth. Then there was Gregor who was doing the same thing but to our blonde hero. Ironically enough, both men from House Clegane were glaring at different people for the same reason, bodily disfigurement.

The famous tourney knight Meryn Trant was doing his utmost to make himself look small among the line up around him. It was a tactic he liked to use to ensure that his opponents overlooked him, which made it easier for him to win his battles. The plan was not honorable, but it was clever. It was a plan of attack that won Meryn plenty of tourneys in his day.

By far the most collected among the five men were Naruto and Barristan Selmy. The latter adorned himself in the traditional knight armor, which included the helmet that hid his face. Meanwhile, the assassin's face showed his confidence. His eyes were at peace, his breathing was calm, and his body was perfectly still despite the excitement thrashing down on them from a raucous crowd.

Thanks to his tall stature, which towered further above the rest in the pavilion, Robert's crown caught the light of the sun when he climbed to his feet. The sun was blazing, the weather was fair, it was time for the final round of the Melee. It was his duty as King to commence the fight so that's what he'd do. "I'm not going to waste my breath and your time. You're here for either glory, gold, or gore. Well, here's your chance to take it all! One of you five will best the other four so let's get the show on the road. Begin!"

The crowd's excitement shot up another few notches and came down on the arena like a landslide, vibrating the ground beneath everyone's feet. Naruto himself snorted once the King stopped talking. It was speculation on his behalf, but he was willing to assume that no royal speech would stand a test to Robert's. Yes, this was Naruto being sarcastic.

Gregor coming right at him was what ended up interrupting Naruto and his thoughts. He didn't even have to react because Gregor was intercepted by his kin, Sandor. Brother faced brother, and their battle quickly progressed from there. The urge to fight took the two large men off to one side of the space allotted for the Melee.

Ever the shrewd knight, Trant saw the two titans of humanity clashing and decided to execute the wise move. He shrunk down and slunk off to the opposite side where he laid in wait until a moment where he could strike presented itself.

Their combined actions left Naruto standing across from Barristan Selmy, the two men that were so different from the other locked gazes with each other. "I saw you fight through your heat, and I was interested in your skills. It seems that I'll have the opportunity to test your strength for myself."

Barristan spoke with a tight smile obscured beneath his helm. His words suggested a readiness to fight, but his hand remained calmly placed on his opposite forearm for the time being.

Pulling Oberyn's trusted spear off his back, Naruto gave the weapon a few twirls before he buried the bottom of the wooden shaft into the ground beside him. "We both wanted to fight the other. I've always wanted to see you fight in the war, but my desires were never enough to involve myself in a bloody conflict that never really concerned me."

"A war that consumed the entire western world didn't concern you?" The sarcasm and the disbelief just poured off the old knight's tongue. He couldn't believe that there was a single man, woman, or child that the last war didn't affect.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders flippantly. His fingers curled considerately around the diameter of the spear's shaft in preparation of what was to come. "I'll admit that I got bored from time to time and involved myself… but no Lord or Realm owns my loyalty. Therefore, their squabbles did not concern me unless someone tried to make it concern me."

"And yet here you are on behalf of Dorne, I don't think you're nearly as free as you might think." As a man that served through a multitude of wars and even more kings, Barristan was far from supportive of the carefree way that Naruto regarded their recent past.

The piece of mind presented by the knight left Naruto frowning. "Be careful with what you say next, old man. I'm no one's sword to point. I'm here because I'm doing a friend a favor and a service to the world."

"You call killing ill-prepared men in a tourney a service? Your heat was the second most bloodied behind only Gregor Clegane's." In comparison, Barristan's heat was the only one where no one died, and part of that was Barristan's use of a _tourney weapon_. Unfortunately, even he could not convince the King to change his plans for the tournament.

The more that he listened, the more that Naruto thought Barristan was holding something personal against him when in reality it was nothing more than survival in Naruto's eyes. He knew that Barristan The Bold was honorable, but this was ridiculous. "Those men came at me with the intent to kill, so I responded in kind. It was them or me, not some senseless slaughter. If you want to blame someone for their deaths, then blame them for their choices or blame your King for allowing real weapons."

"There were many who tried to talk him down from the idea, but he was certain that people craved actual combat in a tourney for once. Hopefully, the death count will be a reminder to Robert that we can't afford to waste human life like this in the future." The loses that the City Watch and Kingsguard suffered from this tourney had soured Barristan's mood.

"Doesn't sound like my problem, so are you gonna fight me?"

"Yes, with my tourney weapon."

"No killing then, fine by me."

Naruto readied his spear and evened out his stance, so it was better balanced for a long weapon like a spear, thus showing the time for talk was over. Unlike in his previous encounters, Naruto didn't have plans to rush in blindly, not into a man with Selmy's skillset. As such, the two men began the game of circling each other, setting up physically and mentally for what they needed to do. Naruto heard the people in the crowd cheering for his opponent, thus cementing who was the crowd darling.

Pushing their adoration out of his brain, Naruto started breaking down the few weak points he saw in Barristan's armor. There weren't many notable spots, but there were a few breaks in the armor that he could exploit. 'I need to be precise and forceful if I want to score anything meaningful.' This being a non-lethal encounter hindered what he liked to do, but Naruto was confident that he could adjust. He just started firming up his grip on _The Viper's Kiss_ when his foe came forth.

Now it was time for the fight to begin.

Naruto hit against the inside of Barristan's blade with the tip of his spear continuously. The contact between weapons wasn't much. What it did was consistently stop Barristan from following through with his attacks. This sequence dragged out their battle for minutes where no man acquired an advantage over the other. It was a total stalemate which only fed the crowd's enthusiasm.

Barristan broke away by taking a long stride back from the duel's meshing point. He used the space to prime himself for a single, massive strike that would overpower the feeble defense provided by a spear. Naruto saw this and extended himself out to catch the knight in the chest since his arms were up high. This turned out to be a feint and falling for it allowed Barristan to drop his blade on top of Naruto's right shoulder. The dulled sword dug into his armor, but it wasn't sharp enough to cut through Naruto's gear.

Being punished for his mistake didn't stop Naruto from coming back with a response of his own. He threw his spear into his left hand and swept outward, crashing his weapon into Barristan's ribs which conceived a suitable distance between the two of them.

'Clever old bastard,' Naruto begrudgingly complimented the forty-six-year-old man while circling the shoulder that was struck. In the meantime, Barristan steadied his posture and waited for Naruto to make the next move. The blonde assassin didn't leave him idle for long.

Naruto's path ahead was a straight one, and when it looked like he was destined to barrel right into Barristan, he stopped himself by jabbing the end of _The Viper's Kiss_ into the dirt. Naruto used the length of the weapon to vault himself into the air. His plan genuinely surprised the traditional combatant and forced Barristan to block the jumping kick with the broader, level portion of his blade.

A grunt forced itself out of Barristan's mouth as he faltered back under the force of his foe's flying punt. Naruto made use of his spear's superior reach at this point to gain an advantage. He used his extra reach to lay a clattering of blows into the sides of the older man's ribs and knees. None of his strikes broke the armor, but they did jostle Barristan's body about, tenderizing and weakening the human flesh underneath.

It took some time, but Barristan endured the assault on his person. Lashing out with a wide slash, Barristan timed his attack with Naruto lunging at him. To prevent himself or Oberyn's spear from being sliced into, Naruto stuck himself to the ground with Chakra. Doing so stopped any momentum he had generated and left him standing barely outside of Barristan's reach.

Naruto grinned at the man despite their status as enemies. He took one of his hands and ran it through his warm, blonde hair. "You almost caught me with that one. It was a decent recovery."

Grunting under his breath, the knight stared at Naruto through the pointed helmet of silver alloy that rested on his head. He knew the young man was proficient. He had to be to test and best The Mountain, but his speedy strikes were so unorthodox that they still caught him off guard.

"How is it that you fight like that?" The gentleman that slew the last Blackfyre pretender had seen both power and pace. He had bested both assassins and knights, but none of them moved with the nuance that this man did. It was like looking into organized chaos. It was nearly impossible to predict.

Naruto's grin extended into a smile that revealed every one of his white teeth, some of which seemed rather sharp in the delivery of his articulation. "I deal in death, that's how."

* * *

Robert may have been King but ere that he'd always judge himself as a warrior. Admittedly, he didn't pay much thought to the earlier rounds but now that the best were doing battle he couldn't look away. For now, he was part of the crowd watching the fight and nothing more, a fight between the world's greatest knight and the one to topple The Mountain, supposedly.

Forgoing the wine in favor of watching the fight, he focused on trying to pick apart the style Naruto employed because Naruto was the only one Robert hadn't seen in action.

The first thing the King noted about the blonde was his incredible accuracy, especially when it came to his blows. Every time the blonde parried Barristan, he did so without any uncertainty. It showed how supremely confident he was, and clearly, it was well-deserved confidence.

The King wasn't below admitting to himself that he believed the blonde was a fool when he entered the fight in simple leathers, but then the fight happened. Not only was he allowed to see the blonde keep up with his best knight, but Naruto even forced Barristan to rely on things like feints instead of pure swordplay. It was unbelievable.

"That boy…"

Following the musings of the King, the Hand leaned towards the back of Robert's chair. "Is there something you required Robert?"

Robert scratched at the beard on his jaw. "That boy, the one who came with the Martells, do we have anything on him?" The King asked with a genuine curiosity regarding the mysterious champion of Dorne.

I've looked into what the previous King kept, but there wasn't anything to find. I've even asked Varys, and he also has nothing." Jon muttered a reply with a frown touching his aged features which were sullen during this confession of failure.

Robert grunted and took a swig of wine to help push aside his irritation. "Figures"

Jon didn't let the juvenile response halt his comeback. "I've had Varys keep tabs on him since entering the city, but all he does is sleep, eat, and stand guard over Lady Elia. I can't see why you're so interested in the lad. I'd say that young Sandor holds more promise than Lady Elia's bodyguard."

"I know that you're getting old Jon, but has your eyesight already failed you?" Robert boldly taunted the man who helped him grow into a man. His chuckle was loud enough that it drew the attention of both Renly and Cersei away from the fight for a moment before they moved on to other things.

He knew that the jab was meant in good nature, but no one truly wanted to be reminded of their losing battle with time. "I see that you're in a good mood today, Robert. Say that I don't see what you see, what is it that I'm missing in this Naruto fellow?"

"He doesn't stand and fight like a knight. He doesn't move like a sellsword. He doesn't shy away like a Faceless. He's something different, almost like a Dancing Master but at the same time different from that."

Jon's face dropped into a dry expression. "Yet another masterful use of your words, well done Robert. It makes me wonder if you ever paid attention to my lessons."

"I described that boy perfectly. He's different and if you don't believe me, then take a look at that."

* * *

"What… what is this?" A visibly shaken Barristan Selmy forced the words out while doing his best to sound as firm as he stood. It was something that was made difficult to do, considering what his eyes were showing him. He'd say that what he saw defied logic, but in reality, it only defied the limits he believed existed.

What Naruto had done to create such a disturbance in his foe's calm facade was perform a physical feat that Barristan had never seen before. Naruto may have been a single man, but he was moving with enough speed that as he circled the famed knight, Naruto resembled a hungry dire wolf on the hunt.

He held the spear across the top of his shoulders the long way. The rest of his body was stuck in a rotating cycle. Naruto's entire body faced down towards the ground as the killer of men rotated around Barristan as his namesake implied. The incredible thing about his movements was that he did so without slipping, breaking stride, or most importantly without giving Barristan a chance to step out of his compromised position at the center of Naruto's peculiar attack.

"Ya know something I honed this technique out in Essos. It inspired so many people who came to The Pits that they called my performances the Songs of Death. A bit too wordy for my tastes, so I changed it, named them Deathsongs." He didn't even stop his spinning to speak. Naruto's bit of insight assaulted Barristan's ears from all sides due to the nature of his spinning circles.

The experienced guard remained calm as he could. He refused to allow Naruto's strange style throw him any further off his game. 'Focus, his battle techniques may be strange, but it is still a circle at the end of the day. That means I know where he'll end up and that's when I can strike back."

Barristan used what he perceived to be Naruto showing off to track his moves down to a precise, repetitive motion. Biding his time until he felt a burst of wind on the hairs spilling out of his helmet, he slashed down with his tourney sword. When the knight saw the dark mass of his opponent moving towards his sword, he knew that he cracked the code.

He was counting the moments until he met his mark then something he hadn't counted on happening occurred. His blade didn't hit Naruto, but it did bounce off the twirling length of Naruto's spear. Their collision knocked Barristan off point which opened his shoulder to a slap from the spear he didn't see coming. The knight grunted and tried his best to control his current predicament despite another failure to reassert control.

'He still has that much control of the spear while he moves like that? This isn't good! He can attack me from any angle he fancies, and if I give too much attention to one side, then the other side will suffer.' It could have been the heat or the situation, but something made a bead of sweat slide down the slope of Barristan's nose.

"At least there's a bit of good news for you Barristan! The bards won't be playing _your _Deathsong because I'm a man of my word." Naruto broke into the solitude of thought that Barristan fell into by interjecting his cheery voice, smile and all.

Barristan's helmet hid it well, but he was feeling an extreme amount of frustration with his lack of progress. A less than subtle gesture of that frustration was the way his hand tightened around the hilt of his sword. 'This whelp isn't taking me seriously!' That revelation stung his pride far worse than any of Naruto's previous attacks.

The knight grew tired of Naruto's carrion behavior because in this situation he was the prey, 'If I can't count on my sword then I'll use my body to break free from this bind! He shouldn't be able to take the entirety of my larger body!'

The world-famous man lowered his head and readied his weight behind his right shoulder. He had an idea that he was convinced would work for him. "HA!" No different from a berserk animal trying to break from its cage, Barristan rushed straight ahead.

"You really shouldn't have put your head down. Here, let me show you why!"

Thanks to a steady hand placed on the center of the spear's shaft, Naruto was able to twirl his spear freely as Barristan came in. Naruto opened up by crushing the right side of the knight's helmet with his weapon. As his enemy reeled back, Naruto was able to switch the hand he used to wield the spear. This time when he rocked his opponent's skull, it was with a powerful attack that slammed into the left-half of the knight's head.

The consecutive barrage of attacks from Naruto drained away Barristan's energy. The sudden onslaught was a flurry of fierce strikes that Naruto capped off with a flourished upward strike that snapped Barristan's head and neck back and sent his helmet soaring into the air.

The crowd's collective gasp sucked away the zeal for the day's festivities. Many of the people in the amassed group saw Barristan Selmy as an idol that people aspired to be. Seeing him in such a compromised state was jarring to many. Naruto waited until the knight's helmet hit the ground before finally breaking the silence. "That glaze in your eyes and the fogginess in your head means that you're concussed. I'd yield if I were you, Ser Barristan."

If Naruto said that he wasn't excited about this little dance he got to share with Barristan The Bold, then that would be a massive lie on his part. He was aware that this was a glorified sparring session and nothing more. He didn't care what they called this because he got what he wanted. Naruto had fought Barristan Selmy, and he won.

* * *

The typical duel often didn't last longer than ten minutes because more often than not, the better man proved himself early. Ten minutes or not, Elia couldn't be tenser than she was during the ten minutes or so that Naruto battled Barristan. She could hear all she wanted about Naruto's prowess, yet seeing it in person was something that Eila wasn't sure she could take. 'This stress might be the death of me.' She muttered through a practiced deep breath and a cloth that she used to wipe the sweat from her brow.

"Naruto is every knight's worst enemy, even one like Barristan Selmy." Oberyn's proclamation came in sharply with his arms indolently crossed across the chest of his fine, green dress attire. There was a smirk on his mysterious features created in part thanks to it being his weapon shown off by Naruto.

Concerned with her friend's well-being, it was understandable that Elia overlooked the more fine minutia when it came to armed conflict between two warriors. "What do you mean by that Oberyn?"

His sister knew plenty, but combat was not included in that strong base of knowledge. That's why the younger Dornishman tried to put together an analogy of sorts to help paint a picture. "Think of them like a rock and water, Elia. Barristan is the rock. He is stern and is hard to move."

"That means Naruto is water in this instance?"

"That's correct, sister. Naruto's fighting style is like moving water. Barristan may be able to hold Naruto back for a short time like rock, but like water, Naruto doesn't need long to either go around Barristan or through him." And from what the Young Viper saw thus far in the Melee, it was clear to him that his assassin friend could do the same to any knight.

She was beginning to understand what her brother was suggesting, or at least she thought she understood what he was attempting to say. "So Naruto won the fight because he fights in a way that's more flexible than Ser Barristan's style?"

"Something like that," Oberyn paired his response with lifting his hand and giving it a shaky wobble to confirm that his sister was almost correct in her deductions.

"I think the better way to say it is that Naruto is more fluid. Knights like Barristan stick to one way of fighting whereas Naruto isn't confined to a single approach or style. Naruto uses what he thinks will be most effective and changes what he does on the fly. Naruto can and will beat any knight fighting like that. That's what I think."

Elia evened out the infrequent wrinkle in the material of her dress. The beautiful widow drove out one last sigh before she looked out at the field of battle. "I don't care what style Naruto uses. I care that he comes back safe."

"Oho, what's this I'm hearing? Does my precious sister have feelings for our fearless assassin compatriot?" Oberyn was ready and willing to tease his sister for her perfectly natural attraction to another person like he was every time the opportunity presented itself to taunt her. The proof could be found in the way he wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Her capacity to resist her reaction of blushing was accredited to being worn down by repeated taunts and jests like the one she heard now. Rather than going red, she huffed at Oberyn after her eyes stole a last glance at Naruto. "I'm merely happy that my friend is unharmed… as you should be."

"Oh I'm happy, but I'll be downright ecstatic when Naruto guts that boar down there! Gods, I wish I was the one to skew that one-eyed pig." The Red Viper tried to hide the last part amid a murmur, but he was overheard by his sister.

Elia stretched her hand out and placed it softly on top of his shoulder. To help soothe over his anger, she rubbed on the back of his shoulder before she squeezed it. "Naruto will take care of it. He'll kill The Mountain."

* * *

Naruto stood calmly by while his defeated foe was taken from the field. Barristan had admitted defeat after their last encounter, leaving Naruto to claim victory. Barristan was a decent first fight for what was coming, but the experienced knight never really had a chance. His way of fighting was much too rigid to test Naruto.

'That's one down, how many more to go through?' He spun himself around to scout out what had happened while he was busy exchanging blows with the bold knight from the Kingsguard. What Naruto spotted waiting for him was The Mountain positioned with a foot on his brother's chest and his sword waiting to be plunged downward into Sandor's heart.

Did it count as Kinslaying if it was done under the guise of a tourney?

Absorbing a large breath, the sunshine-haired slayer prepared his lungs for what he planned on saying. Now he needed to make sure that his voice was as loud as he could make it. Doing this guaranteed that Gregor heard him.

**"HEY BITCH!"**

The only thing that compared to what was left in the aftermath of Naruto's shout was a graveyard. In a way, it was fitting for how stiff the people around the Melee became after hearing his insult. It wasn't every day that the people got to hear the most feared knight in Westeros insulted so directly.

Naruto realized that even Sandor was looking his way with an incredulous expression. Perhaps the only person who wasn't worried was the man who hurled the insult.

His plan worked like a charm because Gregor shifted his focus from killing his kin. Now the man known as The Mountain was glaring over his shoulder at Naruto. Gregor had a helmet on, but that didn't stop Naruto from visualizing the one-eyed look he knew Gregor had.

Naruto refused to back down from the murderous man. He doubled down on his verbal assault. "Yeah, I'm talking to you, bitch! Are you fighting your brother to protect yourself from me? I didn't know the infamous Mountain was such a craven!"

Gregor's stationary form began to rumble with an unhealthy amount of rage. No, it was no longer rage which fed The Mountain. What he felt for the speedy blonde was nothing short of pure hatred. Forgetting his brother like he was an ant, Gregor stepped off his beaten kinsman and turned fully towards Naruto. "You…"

Smirking mockingly at Gregor, the Chakra user bucked the spear casually atop his shoulder. "Long time no see, I hope your life as a cyclops is treating you alright!" Naruto's words showed that he wasn't afraid to stoke the flames of fury that would've consumed most ordinary men.

Like poking a bear, the eldest scion of House Clegane continued to shudder in a fury beneath his heap of metal armor. His blood rushed, his muscles clenched in angst, and his entire being screamed for the most painful death he could muster for the blonde fucker in front of him. "I'm gonna cut you into bits in front of your Dornish bitch!"

Naruto allowed himself to be distracted by the amusing occurrence of three men helping Sandor out of the arena. After realizing that his attention went wayward, he shifted his attention back to the enraged Mountain. "Yes, while that sounds terrifying, take a look at yourself. You had trouble with your little brother. What makes you think you can beat me?" The whiskered man asked with a derisive smile.

Either way, he packaged it, there was some truth hidden in the insults that Naruto aimed at Gregor. What used to be an imposing wall of armor was now dented, cut, and tarnished from trading lethal blows with his equally vicious sibling. The right segment of armor that covered a portion of his chest was torn off, leaving his chest to be a clear target for Naruto's spear.

Gregor Clegane's entire body lurched as he let out a primal roar brimming with rage. Those heated emotions urged him to try and cut Naruto from shoulder down to his opposite hip in a single sadistic motion. His strides were long and his swing even longer which gave Naruto more than ample enough time to shuffle out of the falling sword's route. With nobody there to catch it, the sword carved into the grass and ground four yards in front of Naruto.

He gave the massive cleaver that Gregor called a greatsword a considerable glance. "That was close. You might have gotten me if I was asleep." Naruto's toying comment came with the outsets of a smirk that colored his twitching lips.

Gregor permitted himself a low growl before he rushed towards Naruto, slashing and swinging like a wild man at his most hated enemy. Every strike was either swatted aside or evaded by the nimble blonde. His strength normally won out against his typical foe. It didn't work against Naruto. His one-handed grip was too loose and too weak to be effective against the blonde. "Stand fucking still and die like a man!"

Twirling away from their latest clash, Naruto let his graceful footwork carry him a handful of feet clear of a seething Gregor who stumbled onward clumsily. "Is this all you can do? Is that your best? Perhaps I should have killed you back when you tried to kill Elia and Rhaenys Martell because this is embarrassing."

What Naruto let go from his lips was the truth, but to people not in the know he was bringing up a mere rumor. Not only did he bring up a rumor, but his strength gave the rumor credibility. He heard the gasps and whispers spread as the crowd began talking about the former wife of Rhaegar and her daughter.

'Good' He spared a moment's glance to Elia, and he was pleased that her face was steady as stone. It would have been unfortunate if his words upset her, but this needed to be done. The people needed to know the monster for who he was.

Unfortunately, Gregor was far from focused on cooperating with his plan. Anything that didn't involve the immediate death of the blonde in leather was not on his mind. Gregor stiffened, his first hand and laid his second over the first so his grip was secured before he threw himself at Naruto with a quicker, deep-angle slash.

He didn't find anything but the air since Naruto slid into the opening beneath his left elbow. Naruto took his back in one movement and brandished _The Viper's Kiss_ in another. Lowering the spear, he hacked across the back of Gregor's foot with the serrated flank of the spear's metal edge. His targeted attack on Gregor's Achilles made the massive man teeter forward with a shout of pain.

As his opponent was left to struggle, the assassin with azure eyes walked forward confidently. With a glare for Tywin Lannister in his section of lions, the azure eyes of the assassin brewed up a pair of matching storms, a total departure from the levity that his eyes once held. "Are those the kind of screams you created?" He may have posed that question to Gregor, but everyone at the Melee knew that the upstart blonde was truly speaking to the Warden of the West.

Naruto's focus being on the Lannister patron allowed the giant Clegane the time he needed to recover. Gregor wasted no time in turning so that his bulldozing path was pointed right at Naruto. He surged for Naruto's back with his heavy sword pointed ahead, ready to impale its steel straight through Naruto's spine.

He saw the eyes of those like Jaime, Oberyn, and Elia widen as Gregor got closer and he still didn't move to stop him, but there wasn't any fear or concern from the blonde. Naruto only showed a sense of strength. Sensing the attack, he waited until Gregor's sword was nearly on top of him before he kicked the back of the spear upward at the last possible moment.

The spear's shaft was hardly a blur as it jumped up and struck the underside of The Mountain's jaw. Staggered from Naruto's blow, he stopped in place with his head forced to look up skyward while Naruto spun on his feet to face him.

The blonde drove the spear down from the heavens, leaving it to build momentum and speed that all came thundering down on the crown of Gregor's skull. It was a shock that the wood managed to hold its integrity after the collision that dropped Gregor to a knee. Peering soullessly at the man on his knee, Naruto sent Gregor sliding on his back with a single kick to the center of the man's broad chest.

"Get up" Naruto's quiet order shook the silent audience to its foundations.

* * *

It was far from what was considered proper, yet Oberyn couldn't help but stand up from his seat as he watched the fight unfold. He wanted to be the one that claimed vengeance on behalf of his sister, but if it had to be someone else, then he'd want it to be someone who he respected, like Naruto. He could live with that outcome. "It's like he is a completely different person."

Thinking back on it, other than their scuffle in the sands of Sunspear, Oberyn had never seen Naruto truly fight. He sparred and trained, but when they did Naruto was always friendly and in a good mood. This was perhaps the first time that Oberyn had seen Naruto in a bad mood.

"I've seen him like this once; it was just after he stopped _that_ man in the Red Keep. He was so serious that nothing I could've said or done would have changed his mind or prevented him from doing what he felt needed to be done." Elia wasn't sure if she should call it conviction or stubbornness but either way it was clear that this was a piece of Naruto that no one could challenge, at least that's what she believed.

Naruto proved to be a popular topic in the pavilion and not just amongst his friends.

His performance thus far had earned the man with no family name a fan in the form of one Renly Baratheon. The young lad's dark eyes were brightened with admiration as they gazed at the blonde's unmoving back. Looking from one person he admired to the other, Renly had to ask a question that he couldn't hold on his tongue any longer. "Do you think that Naruto will kill The Mountain, brother?"

Ordinarily, it would be disconcerting for a boy of six years to be talking so flippantly about something like death, but this was par for the course when it came to a Baratheon man. They were a family of fighters, true to the last. "Anything's possible in a fight, Renly." Robert handed out a retort that was swift and meant to tame Renly's childish excitement.

It didn't work

Being near the front of the pavilion, in the first possible row of seats, he didn't need to worry about full-grown adults blocking his view. That didn't stop Renly from standing up so that he could better see what was happening. The boy with Baratheon blood in his veins was giddy with enthusiasm. "I want to fight like Naruto when I'm older!"

That got one of Robert's dark eyebrows to raise in interest. He turned to look at his littlest brother who himself was looking at Naruto. "I thought you wanted to be a knight?" He spoke of the dreams that Renly had been going on about over the past year or so. Maybe his little brother needed a reminder of what he wanted?

"Nope, not anymore! Naruto beat Ser Barristan, and now he's beating The Mountain, he's really strong! I want to be strong like that too so I can be King someday!" Robert's reaction to the way that his naive sibling painted the picture of his future was to have a good laugh. Renly would learn someday that it wasn't that easy, but for now, Robert would allow him to dream about chasing shadows.

Jaime wasn't far from the two conversing brothers thanks to his place at Cersei's side. His post as the royal guard enabled him to overhear every last word the two Baratheons said, and he found himself agreeing with Renly, about Naruto's strength at least.

'You may have done it unintentionally father, but you made an enemy out of a man of blood when you intentionally let The Mountain off his leash. I am your son, and you are the Shield of Lannisport, yet there will be a day when your shield breaks and I won't be there to save you. Are you ready for that?' Jaime was left to wonder that question while he looked at his father. The man was too busy glaring subtly at Naruto's back to even notice his son's gaze.

_Don't hurt innocent folk and don't help the wrong people then you'll live just fine, my friend._

Those words that Naruto said to him earlier in the day played back in his brain like the lyrics to their House's song. 'You are far from an innocent father. I only hope that my siblings don't follow you on the path to ruin.' He thought solemnly, gazing at both Tyrion and Cersei.

* * *

"I told you to get up!" Naruto barked at the man he'd deposited flat on his back with a fearless glare for the infamous fighter. Sending Gregor to the dirt was a decent start, but nothing short of soaking his spear in Gregor's blood would suffice on this day.

Using his blade to brace himself, Gregor managed to work himself back to a standing position in front of Naruto. It hurt like a bitch to put weight on his injured Achilles. Nevertheless, he swallowed that pain and used the misery as fuel to empower his savage glare.

The blonde floated the tip of his spear up a handful of times, bouncing it northward to help encourage the nearly frothing man that stood opposite of him. "That's it, get up so that I can kill you." Okay, so maybe encourage was the incorrect connotation for Naruto's intentions when it came to Gregor.

"You first!" Gregor howled, rushing at Naruto to cleave the brazen blonde into two different pieces.

Naruto let his hand wander from the spear. He reached underneath his black leather armor and in a smooth motion, he yanked that hand out and turned his wrist as he released a black projectile from the end of his motion.

The black knife, the kunai glimmered during its advance towards Gregor. It raced underneath the sunlight like a star in their spotlight and at the last second, there was an untraceable hum of blue energy that coated the kunai until it split the knight's thick armor with ease.

"Argh!" The Mountain's grimace and his subsequent scream was heard from here to Flea Bottom. His massive body shook in distress while his grip grew weaker until he no longer had the strength to support the sword that fell from his limp hand. He gnashed his teeth together at the same time that he clasped his injured wrist with his good hand so that he might stop it from shaking. As the pain began to clear out, so did his vision.

It was like Naruto had tapped right into Gregor's mind because what Naruto said next was a direct reflection of The Mountain's thoughts. "You recognize that, don't you? It's one of the knives I used to take your eye when you stormed the Red Keep during the Sack."

Naruto was deliberate in the way he made his voice carry. This way, he ensured that even the furthest sections of the Tourney Grounds could hear what he had to say about that infamous day.

Outright in a pant at this point, Gregor's good hand wrapped around the kunai, and plucked it out with a sharp inhale. His hand was so large that it covered the bottom half of the bloody blade which looked tiny in comparison. When he looked up again, he saw Naruto literally in his face, something that shocked him. "Wha-"

The thinner of the two men was cocked back with the point of his spear ready to be launched into Gregor's helmet. However, instead of following through with the strike, he spun the spear's bite and used it to clip under the chin portion of Gregor's headgear. With a strong flick, the helmet was launched into the air, showing his entire skull fresh with a bleeding cut that went down the center of The Mountain's wide chin.

For the second time in as many fights, Naruto had torn the helmet off of his opponent. Unlike when he had done so to Barristan, the blonde walked away from his opponent. This way, everyone saw what lurked beneath the helmet with their own eyes.

Some looked on with morbid fascination at the macabre scene.

Others turned their heads away before they released the contents of their stomachs.

There were gasps, and there were cries.

But most importantly, Naruto had everyone's attention.

Because standing there under a sheen of sweat and dripping blood that flowed down his fat neck was The Mountain. With the way he had his head up, there wasn't any way to miss that he was missing an entire eye. There wasn't anything where that eye should've been, nothing but a gruesome void that was complimented in the most ghoulish of ways by the scar tissue around the empty socket. Gregor's expression was only made to look worse due to the way his glare tightened the muscles around where his eye should have been.

Taking his time to walk around his disarmed opponent in a grandiose circle that left him to prowl the space with his arms open as a means for attention, Naruto was deliberate with every step. "People of King's Landing, do you see this? This is the monster that has been living among you since the rebellion ended! He has butchered hundreds and done foul deeds by the thousands, and for what?"

When Naruto stopped his casual gait, he very purposefully placed himself on the parcel of land that existed directly in front of King Robert's chair. He let the spear run the length of his arm, which made it look like an extension of himself as he aimed at Gregor. "This monster has killed people in this very city! He has shown that no life but his matters to him! He has taken an infant by its skull and crushed the poor babe's head like an egg! And do you know what happened to this poor excuse for a man?" Naruto cried out passionately to the crowd who waited for his answer.

Naruto saw it all. He saw that he owned the attention of everyone from the nobles in the pavilion to the common folk that lined the entirety of the arena in one unbroken circle of human mass.

"He was rewarded by his King for killing a child who wasn't old enough to be out of his crib without his mother! Let me ask this, where is the justice in that? There is none and why? Was it because he's some famous knight from a self-important family that rules through gold? Well, I say enough with that shit! I, Naruto was the one who punished the child murderer! I took his eye from him, knowing that this day would come! The day that I slaughter him like the beast he is and show the world that no one is above consequences!"

His words started with a single person clapping, but then the emotions of the people caught fire and soon most, if not all of the crowd was roaring in approval of the mysterious blonde's sentiment. None of them knew who he was before today festivities, but that didn't stop their support. Their unified wave of belief was so intense in its fervor that it was shaking the grounds themselves. Many of the nobles were growing noticeably nervous at the uproar being made- well, apart from Oberyn who joined in with the crowd willfully.

"To me, it doesn't matter if you have Lannister gold, the King's favor, or a reputation built on blood, there is nothing in this world that will protect those who do wrong from me! Do you hear me? We are not your toys to toss aside!" His passion-infused rallying cry inspired the commoners and served as a warning for the Lords and Ladies of Westeros' Houses. That swirl of emotion came to a focal point in the form of the determined assassin known by the name Naruto.

"You talk too much!" Reclaiming use of his hand once again, Gregor wasted no time before acting. His speed was far greater than someone his size had any right of possessing, but he still wasn't fast enough to touch Naruto. The speed disparity shined through when Naruto flowed around Gregor just before the monster's fingers could clinch their clasp on him.

He executed his motion perfectly, and due to that, he found himself stood in the shadow of an angry man. His palm struck up to latch against the back of The Mountain's head, stretching his hand with it.

Naruto rode the momentum of his foe until Gregor was introduced to the concrete of the pavilion base, face first. A dull crunch made from flesh kissing stone brought out a smile on the blue-eyed man's face. The assassin dug his fingers into Gregor's short hair and used that contact to drive the man's face back into the cruel cement.

The blonde's tongue moved with the fluidity of a snake charmer when he decided to lean towards his fellow fighter. "Does this position feel familiar to you?" Naruto wasn't given anything more than a groan in response. He clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth and shook his head, that wasn't going to cut it.

Naruto took his time scraping Gregor from the concrete that had been turned into an unwanted pillow of sorts for the larger man and his face. He didn't bother looking at the face under his hand when he removed it. His only inclination was to smash Gregor back into the stone, which he did. Then he did it again and again and again until he heard the distinct crack that told Gregor broke his nose against the dark gray rock mixture.

He clutched Gregor's skull, holding him in place as blood fell from his broken nose, dripping down the front of his face. Naruto deliberately pushed Gregor into the wall, thus raking the man's facial features into the unforgiving wall of bumpy cement. "I asked you a question, trash!"

Copper was the taste Gregor was treated to as his blood rolled over his upper lip and into his mouth. That crimson fluid stained the teeth that he had grit in anger. "Fuck… you!" He snapped back with a fierce snarl that the world was deprived of seeing.

"Wrong answer," His chiding statement was followed up with him spiking The Mountain's face back into the cracking concrete over and over again until the busted up man's frame lost the tension of resistance.

"**NA-RU-TO!**

"**NA-RU-TO!"**

"**NA-RU-TO!"**

A version of the assassin's name modified to be used as a chant wasn't something Naruto expected to hear. It stilled him for a time as he inadvertently soaked in the rain that was his name crashing upon the Melee like thunder. "It sounds like I'm not the only one that's calling for your death. There are plenty here and more spirits from the past that would be more than happy to see you meet the Faceless God."

Naruto's words may as well have been Wildfire in the way that they motivated Gregor to action. His voice called on Gregor's ears and in response, his body tapped into its ungodly strength which was made to kill anything that made him angry. "Not before I kill you and all of them!" Gregor bellowed hoarsely.

Refusing to be humiliated any further, planting his palms against the wall in front of him, The Mountain burdened the entirety of his bulky physique with genetic might. He pushed with as much force as possible which he then used to throw Naruto backward with a heavy howl of exertion. The blue eyes in the blonde's head widened, surprised with how much physical force that Gregor Clegane still had in reserve.

Naruto did his best to recapture his balance, but his feet kept stumbling back. When he recognized how fruitless of a task it was, he did the only thing he could which was grabbing onto _The Viper's Kiss_ before he fell onto his back.

Thanks to Gregor needing to gather his sword, Naruto was allotted some time to gather himself anew. The amount of time wasn't anything substantial. The Mountain was there over the top of him like a hungry lion. Cleaving through the air with a heavy whistle that Gregor generated from the force of his swing alone, he followed through.

A defense of some sort was a necessity, so he threw the spear in front of his chest. He positioned the spear long ways as the first line of defense between him and the sword. He witnessed how the wood snapped under Gregor's sword like a twig first-hand. Meanwhile, Gregor's blood-thirsty expression loomed in his peripheral vision.

The unforeseen turn of events hushed the vigor with which the crowd expressed itself. Naruto looked at the broken weapon in his hands with a frown locked in place. 'Sorry about that Oberyn,' He quickly went back to the matter of defending himself from certain death, forgetting about the broken weapon.

Regretfully for the blood lust circulating in the Clegane's veins, the man on the ground had an ace up his sleeve, Chakra. The power of life surged through his person in a guided motion directed by Naruto and his intention to harness it.

Chakra powered through his foot and with its presence he sent a decisive kick out at Gregor, slamming the sole of his foot into Gregor's ankle. There was a moment where the armor Gregor wore and the structure of his ankle provided a few moments of resistance, but it wasn't fated to endure. That lone kick was enough to turn the entirety of The Mountain's foot the wrong way before it broke.

Like anyone or anything that used limbs to stand, Gregor needed both legs to maintain verticality. Without one of them there for support he plummeted to the ground. Searing, white-hot pain tore through his person. The pain was enough to prevent Gregor from catching himself on the way down. His scream wasn't anything coherent, which is why it paired so well with the desperate way he tried to clutch for his sideways foot.

Tossing Gregor over on his back, Naruto was more than ready to take advantage of his Gregor and his broken ankle. His whiskered cheeks went tight as he gave off a genuinely devastating smirk. "It's time to make you sing."

First, Naruto grabbed the spear half with the blade on it and then he used that blade like a makeshift spike that was pierced through Gregor's left forearm, pinning the arm to the ground at his side. Gregor being so enthralled with the pain didn't even realize what was happening to him. This lapse in awareness was what let Naruto take the broken wood and spike it into his other arm. When all was said and done, Gregor was fully pinned down and unable to defend himself.

"Enough of this, it's clear that he can't fight anymore! He's beaten!" Tywin Lannister's attempt to stop the fight and save his reputation was disregarded. It was a known rule that only the competitor was permitted to take themselves out of the Melee unless they were knocked out. This meant Naruto was free to do as he pleased with Gregor.

The shadow of Gregor Clegane encroached upon many a nightmare during his short, but bloody time on this earth but even the notorious Mountain looked small when he was flat on his back. He looked helpless now that he was impaled to the ground that was no doubt warmed by the blood Naruto forced from him.

A more poetic scene couldn't be written, or so Naruto thought as he stood over the one-eyed monster. "Wake up! There are questions that you need to answer here in front of everyone." The punctuation mark came in the form of an open-handed slap that rattled Gregor enough to snap him from his pained trance.

"Huh?" Coming back around and seeing Naruto first made Gregor react in a snap. He tried to lunge at the blonde. He yearned to wrap his hands around the assassin's throat, but nothing happened. Gregor glanced at his arms to find the crude way he was trapped, and like a rabid beast, he tried to lift himself. Try as he might, even the mighty Mountain could only get an inch off the ground before his body failed him. "Fucking hells…"

"Now then, these lovely people need to hear what you have to say. First question, what's your name?" The word carefree was the perfect way to describe the fashion in which Naruto treated the situation. He was hardly serious, or that's how he wanted to appear, and that added to the list of things that pissed Gregor off when it came to the blonde.

Parts made the whole, and the smile Gregor gave was just as hideous as the rest of his maimed face. Someone didn't need to be a master of reading bodies to see that he had very little experience when it came to making his mouth smile. "Fuck you!"

Naruto shook his head, far from satisfied with the response Gregor opted to give him. Lifting his leg high, he stomped on the exposed side of Gregor's chest, painting a dirty boot mark on the man's skin while also driving the air out of his lungs. "Wrong, don't worry, I'll let you try again."

While Gregor was left to wheeze from Naruto's powerful kick, the blonde continued to casually grind the sole of his shoe into the chest cavity of the defiant beast. "What were you doing in King's Landing during the Lannister Sack of the city?"

The Mountain's immobile body rocked along with a fit of laughter, licking the blood from his teeth as he laughed. The eerie sound swallowed the silence of the men and women who waited to see how this meeting of Maelstrom and Mountain played out. "I was in the castle killing every last loyalist I could find! The little sons of whores soiled themselves when they saw me!"

And that was something that Naruto wasn't opposed to, not in theory at least. Most of the people who supported Aerys' reign of madness were guilty to an extent past redemption, and their purge was welcomed. Gregor acted to a total extent, and that was something that Naruto couldn't support, no matter the reason. He had slaughtered innocent men and women along the way simply because he could. There'd be justice for that.

"Did your slaughter spree include plans to murder Elia Martell, Rhaenys Martell, and Aegon Targaryen?" His voice was oozing with spite as he listed only a few of the names that Gregor had wronged on that day.

Naruto's words took that smile and turned into a deep scowl. Gregor was still livid that Naruto stopped him from having his way with Elia. The whiskered man had also deprived him of a nice reward when the damned blonde stopped him from putting an end to Rhaegar's family line. "You think I'm scared of you? I ain't tellin' you shit!"

Sighing in mock despondency, the one in charge swept his hand through the wild blonde hair that sat on top of his head. "I hate speaking in cliches because they make me sound like a character from the ballads, but it looks like we need to do this the hard way. I wanted to do this the hard way."

Naruto stayed poised and ignored the curses spewed at him from Gregor in favor of pulling out a pair of kunai. After arming himself with his trusty weapons, he settled the point of his knee against the center of The Mountain's chest to keep the titan stable. "You can see what I'm holding in my hands. Well, I'm going to put them in your mouth. Then I'm going to slice outward from the corners of your lips. Either I'm going to open your face by cutting till I hit your ears or you're going to answer my questions."

He proved to be faithful to his word when he promptly shoved his incisive tools in Gregor's mouth. The tender flesh inside of Gregor's mouth was very vulnerable to the cold steel, and fairly quickly, he began to thrash from the pain of Naruto carving open his mouth.

The small children got pulled away from the blatant torture session, but for the most part, the people who remained were eager if not happy to see a knight suffer as they suffered for so long. Nobility and knights were the sources of the problems in Westeros in the eyes of many. The accuracy of such claims could be debated, but the answer didn't change the fact that seeing a knight being treated like dirt was a cathartic experience for the common people.

Unbothered by the blood that stained his hands, Naruto proceeded to apply just enough pressure to push his knives forward at a creeping pace. He could've opened Gregor up so much faster but going slow was a guaranteed way to extend the pain that was forcing Gregor to scream through the slight mufflers that were Naruto's hands. "Why did you go to Lady Elia's bedroom? Answer the question!"

It was clear that he was more focused on antagonizing Naruto than preserving himself because he did something defiant to a stupid degree. He tried to get a curse word or two out, but instead of words, all he managed to do was move his tongue in a way that got it cut.

The pain shut his eyes. Naruto pulled his kunai out further, and soon blood pooled in the back of Gregor's mouth while he attempted to fight through the pain. It was blood that he tried to gurgle out desperately to avoid choking on his biles.

It wasn't done in an offer of pity, yet Gregor was given a chance to speak all the same when Naruto removed one of his dripping blades. "I was going to kill her brats, you fucker!" He blubbered through a large gasp filled with blood.

Naruto nodded his head and stopped his kunai from going any further into the bleeding, red skin on the man's torn up face. He had already stretched Gregor's mouth an additional three inches in both directions, and he was ready to go all the way should Gregor fail to cooperate with him.

"You killed Aegon, yes?"

Any idea of spitting at Naruto and his questions were removed -painfully- when Naruto jostled the kunai back into the hitch carved out from what used to be part of his cheek. "You're damn right I did! The little shit wouldn't stop crying, so I popped his head! I would have choked the life out of the girl too if-"

There was a surge of negative emotions in the blonde upon hearing Gregor make his admission. The plan to harm the girl he affectionately knew as Rhae left Naruto with a cold feeling in his heart. He responded to that by slamming his head down on the beaten man's broken nose. As if Gregor didn't have enough breaks in his nose, Naruto added another one which forced a jet of blood to splatter the lower half of the dishonorable knight's face. "What about Lady Elia?" The chilly inflection of Naruto's voice resonated perfectly with the icy vibe in his eyes.

"Motherfucking son of a whore!" The nasal quality in Gregor's voice only worsened as his nose was demolished yet again. At this point, it was getting hard for him to breathe. Perhaps that is why he made the mistake of thinking and speaking with his _other_ head. "That Dornish Whore? I was going to kill her too but not until I fucked her! I bet her cunt is nice and tight too!"

The control he had over himself nearly slipped; which is why Naruto needed to physically restrain his Chakra, lest it lashed out like lightning in a storm. He may have controlled his hidden power, but his hands had no such discipline. His fingers curled roughly around the kunai handles and in a sudden motion, he lashed out, cutting into Gregor's mouth so deeply that Naruto felt his kunai struggling against the spots where the two parts of Gregor's jaw connected.

His friend was a beautiful woman who survived plenty and to have Elia belittled right in front of his face like that invoked a fury within him that Naruto had forgotten existed. Naruto was going to make sure that Gregor felt some of her pain before he lost his life.

Pain no longer was a strong enough term to describe what Gregor was feeling as he battered himself along the spikes that skewered his arms. This was more like pure agony that was being injected into him one violent move at a time. His blood was flowing from his open mouth like a faulty faucet, soaking steel and torn of slices of glowing red flesh alike.

Feasting on Gregor's miserable state with no morsel of repentance, the pointed tips of Naruto's canine teeth peeked out to fang his smirk. "You've confessed to murder. You've also confessed to attempted rape and murder of a lady in front of the entire realm. Next question, why did you do it?"

Covered in his blood for once, Gregor attempted to glare at his nemesis, but the most he could produce was a weak leer that failed to shatter the hazy film that glazed his single eye. "Because the strong do what they want to the weak…"

"Fine, if you want to play games then you'll bleed doing it."

Desolation colored the words that came from the massive man's mouth. His next words were an attempt to try and make the pain stop, nothing more. He wouldn't beg like a craven bitch, but he would answer the question if it meant the pain was taken away. "I did it because I was told to do it!"

"Who told you to rape and kill Elia Martell!?" It was a question Naruto knew the answer to, anyone who possessed a modicum of political knowledge was aware of who issued the order. What the vengeful killer wanted was for the people to hear an admission of guilt.

There was a flicker of hesitation on Gregor's part as he grappled between staying loyal to Tywin Lannister or the survival of himself. His smashed up nose, his carved out lips, and the drying blood that clotted on his skin was finally enough to make him see reason. "It was Tywin Lannister!"

They took the first step getting the admission. Now was the time to connect Elia with the common folk through their mutual pain. "Who allowed you to murder and plunder ever since you were wrongly given the mantle of knighthood?"

Gregor grit his teeth as he struggled from one side to the other, going for a final stand, a final attempt to break free from his capture. Thick veins bulged along his temple and neck as he fought to rip himself out of the spikes that were buried in the ground. It was for naught in the end. The only thing he managed to do was increase the rate at which he lost his blood. Getting dizzy after his tirade, he managed one last word before his eye closed. "Tywin…"

Finally, Naruto let himself be taken with a smile as his ears caught the open -if not slightly derisive- laughter that came from where Oberyn was seated. This was the stage Naruto envisioned back when he saved Elia, and it was time to use it. Throwing his blood-soaked hands forward, he gestured to the glaring Tywin Lannister with both of his knives. "There you have it ladies and gentleman, Gregor Clegane has admitted to being a monster! He admitted that the one ordering him around was none other than the esteemed Warden of the West, Tywin Lannister! Will your gold pay for all the families you have ruined, Tywin? Can you buy off all the blood you have ordered to be spilled so that you can live on your mountain of luster?"

His scathing truths stood alone for only a moment before they were piled on by the singular, unanimous hiss of anger originating from the crowd of downtrodden that were finally given proof that their so-called betters were liars and cheats.

Their range of comments spanned from colorful insults to Tywin fighting Naruto or being sent to The Wall. It kept up like this until the people in the crowd decided to get more active with their displeasure.

Stacking on each other, they turned into one thriving conglomerate of disdain that started to shake the fences. Barriers meant to exist for safety reasons began rippling to and fro like a bedsheet whipping around in the wind. The crowd's hostility caused many in the pavilion to stand with their respective guards, forming a wall between the nobility and the enraged masses.

The fences looked ready to collapse at any given moment. Naruto remained planted in the metaphorical storm surge, although he was closest to the maw of the mob. He turned his back to the nobles and faced the angry mass of people trying to claw their way through the barrier.

"**PEOPLE OF KING'S LANDING, HEAR MY VOICE!" **

The Chakra infused into his words helped Naruto overpower everything in the vicinity. His powerful hail for silence earned him the attention of the world. Naruto took it and thumped his bloody fist against his heart. He nodded towards his captivated audience, and then he addressed them. "Give me your anger, give me your pain, give me your strength, and I will bring the justice you deserve! Allow me to be the vessel, and I will show this so-called Lord the power of _your _will!"

Already on the precipice of a riot, the people rallied behind Naruto like a folk hero. Or was he a cult leader? In place of trying to crash the Melee, they took their energy and used it to scream his name. Their voices were louder than when they cheered for Barristan and even more vocal than their first attempt to chant his name, the name of a man who openly defied the system of their repression.

Throwing his weapons into the grass on either side of him, the people's hero lifted the greatsword off the ground with a single hand. He marched stiffly to where the unconscious Mountain laid as an afterthought in the groundswell of public outrage. Lifting the sword high, Naruto flipped his grip and drove the sword straight down into The Mountain's chest. He chose not to aim for the bare chest, and it didn't matter because the sword tore through the armor and sheathed itself into the body beneath with a wet squelch.

"On behalf of every person you have wronged, I sentence you to an eternity of torment in death!"

How long was everyone silent after that? Was it moments? Was it minutes?

"Get Gregor out of there and get him to the Grand Maester!" Other than to the ears of the men lock to him, the orders of Tywin Lannister were swallowed by the applause, approval, and adulation that rained down on Naruto's stern shoulders.

A small group of four golden lions stormed down to the broken body of The Mountain. Their progress was obvious, but Naruto stood in place. Unbent by their superior number, he all but dared the henchmen to do something to him. To Naruto's disappointment, they did nothing more than free Gregor from the ground, which allowed them to drag his carcass away.

"You're wasting your time! That monster is…"

"Dead?"

The blonde would have continued to talk down them if not for a sudden halt that was created by a sharp, unexpected pain riding up from his gut. A tremble raced through him via the pain that also made his head drop mechanically. He found a slightly longer than normal dagger sticking out from just beside his abdomen. Black leather armor was split along with Naruto's orange shirt, and this showed the red-tinted weapon that was thrust through his body.

"NARUTO!" **[2] **

Elia crying out his name in a panic was the only thing that managed to reach his ears through the barrier of blurriness in his ringing ears. He compared the sensation to being underwater. The only thing it didn't account for was the mouthful of blood and the blade in his belly. Spitting up a glob of thick blood and tainted spit, he tried to move one of his hands to the weapon inside of him but stopped when he felt someone whispering right into his ear.

"You're a damned fool for letting your guard down in the middle of a battlefield. I'll be paid handsomely for your mistake so thank you for that." The smugness in the heated breath on his ear made Naruto's tanned skin crawl in apprehension.

That's right, Meryn Trant, he forgot that the cowardly cunt was lurking about and boy did he pay for that lapse in judgment. Naruto wasn't sure if he should laugh or cough at what happened, so he settled for doing the one thing he could manage, a bloody cough. "You'd… strike me when the fight was interrupted by Lannister men? An honorable knight my ass," Naruto's speech was interrupted by several coughs though he got his message out.

Grinning sharply at the results of his plan in action, Meryn forced his weapon in further to Naruto's stomach which milked out a deep groan of pain. "You know where honor is? Honor is in being 15,000 dragons richer than I was earlier today!"

A heaving Naruto spoke with a shell of the strength he had earlier while his head dropped down further until his face was hidden from the awkward angle. "You're making… a mistake." He whispered to Trant over his panting exhales that only spit more blood out over his lower lip.

"Spare me the tough guy talk and just die."

Naruto powered a laugh through the taste of his blood. He showed a crimson smile that shuddered itself over the lower portion of his hidden expression. "I tried to warn… you." Trant like most of the fearful fans of Naruto expected the blonde to crumble in a bath of his blood, but that wasn't quite what played out.

Rather than succumbing to a cold death on the end of a dagger, the assassin thrust his elbow backward. The point of his elbow struck Trant in the neck, right beneath his Adam's apple. Meryn stumbled back clutching at his throat as he began to gag on nothing but the air struggling to pass down his trachea.

Naruto turned without lagging in stride once which made it look like he didn't have a blade sticking out of him. He followed a struggling Trant and hoisted him off his feet by grabbing the man by his neck.

"What the- Why aren't you-" When he looked into what was hidden from the others, Meryn's litany of questions were crushed. It was red eyes glaring back at him, not blue. This unexpected change and the fact that Naruto survived a sword through the stomach spared a fearful comparison within an already weak-willed man. "Demon!"

No one heard Meryn make his claim.

Round pupils were now slanted in the cover of Naruto's red irises which flashed thoughtfully at Meryn Trant's claim of 'demon' as Naruto blinked pensively. "Who me? It's possible- but that means you're in a lot of trouble~ I'm going to enjoy hurting you."

Vivid reminders of what Naruto did to Gregor flashed through Meryn's thoughts, and those thoughts brought about panic. He clawed at that hand Naruto had wrapped around his throat, "I surrender," Meryn trying to shout triggered a tighter grip, that only inspired more fear in the visibly quaking man. "I said I SURRENDER, you win!"

He clicked his teeth and shut his eyes before openly spitting on Meryn. Naruto sent the coward soaring back with a clean punch to the face that knocked out the craven in short order.

"Winner of the Melee, Naruto!"

'Oh that's right, I'm in the middle of something here.' Smirking wryly, he went to bow to the crowd. His gesture reminded him of the weapon still buried inside of him and how it was making tough for him to bow. Without even blinking, he pulled out the weapon with a hissed grunt that came out only after he tossed it away. 'That's going to suck to heal later.'

Back to a semblance of normal, he bowed to the people of King's Landing.

Naruto showed humility to the people. He defied death in front of thousands, and he shouldered their cause. All of these things would build the foundation of his legend, but that was the future. Right now he was being hailed as a King by the people of King's Landing.

Choosing to bow irritated the place he was stabbed but Naruto was glad he did it. The pain meant he was alive, right? He put a hand over his injury and turned around. That's when he saw Robert and Jon Arryn walking his direction.

Showing how unpredictable he could be, Naruto ignored the two powerful men and looked right at Elia. He saw the tears flowing down her cheeks and was conflicted. She could be happy, but she could also be sad. 'I hope she isn't crying for me.'

The King took a moment to size up the Assassin, unaware that Naruto wasn't even paying attention to him. In the end, he broke his focus with a nod of his head. "After the show you've put on, I think that all of my future tourneys will fall short to this one."

Under most circumstances, Naruto would've had a nice laugh from the tongue in cheek tone that was used but then he remembered what Robert did when presented with Aegon's dead body and that crushed any positive feelings inside of the blonde. "Maybe that's for the best. Not many can handle chaos like this consistently."

Robert didn't bother to hide how he snorted at what Naruto had to say. "That's rich coming out of the mouth of the man who created all the chaos."

"Is that why you're here, to cut off the head of the chaos?" Injured he may be but even stabbed Naruto would make whoever the King chose work to kill him. Expecting anything less would prove to be a costly mistake on Robert's part.

Any further entertaining of that idea was stopped when Robert waved away the speculation. "Some of my advisors think that is my wisest option." Some say it was unbecoming of the King to be so bold, but the truth was that Robert would always be this frank. So tossing his advisors under the carriage wasn't that out of character for him.

"Is that so?"

Naruto earned himself a mildly impressed glance from Robert who thought that Naruto was sure to cower in the face of his station as King. "Yes, but I decided against it. If I had you killed, then the people would riot throughout the city, and I'd lose my throne. Sometimes it's better to not listen to the advice of men beneath you. That and Ned would never talk to me again if he heard I raised my hand against the man who killed The Mountain."

Before he even asked his question, Naruto was wearing a curiously cocked eyebrow as a badge of confusion. "Ned?" He couldn't recall meeting a man named that or even hearing the name during his admittedly short stay in the Landing.

"Ah right, Eddard Stark goes by the name Ned. He's a Northerner who is about as lively as a bag of bodies. Ned was right pissed when we rewarded Gregor. Maybe I can use this to convince him to come out of Winterfell." The King let his string of consciousness flow freely, unaware of how his words played with Naruto who was much closer to the Martells than he knew.

The whiskered cheeks of the Melee winner took a stiff drop at Robert's choice of a joke, finding it to be done in poor taste. "If that's all, I'd like to get cleaned up."

His hasty attempt to brush past Robert was brought to a swift end when Robert put his hand on top of Naruto's shoulder. The wholly uninvited contact locked Naruto's shoulders and nearly provoked the dangers of touching a trained assassin without permission. "There are two things we need to talk about."

Only barely refraining from letting out a sigh, the tired victor took a step back from the King, breaking contact. His blue eyes drilled into the man in ownership of the Iron Throne with apathy. "What is it then?"

What Robert did first was to ignore the disrespectful way that he was addressed. He couldn't blame a warrior from biting when the adrenaline was still flowing strong. "Your reward of 15,000 dragons will be sent to your lodging later tonight."

Naruto nodded his head silently. He was so focused on dealing with The Mountain that he nearly forgot about the prize money. "And second, Gregor was meant to compete in the Joust tomorrow, but now that won't be happening so how about you take his place and go for back to back wins? What do you say, huh, Champ?"

**END**

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**[1]:** Sandor Clegane hasn't been given the epithet of 'Hound' yet.

**[2]:** I thought of ending the chapter there, but I thought it might have been too cruel! Ha.


	8. Joust Another Day

**Writer's Note: **Again, I wanted to apologize for the last chapter taking so long. Though most of you were understanding I want to apologize all the same.

Okay, now that I've said that, I want to clear something up about Naruto in this story. He doesn't hate all knights. He doesn't even hate arrogant knights, he finds them amusing. Case and point being when he called one of them out for having big brother issues in the Melee preliminaries. The only knights Naruto outright hates are the ones who use their station and power for the wrong things.

That's all I have to say this time around. **Thanks **for the reviews and enjoy Chapter Eight.

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**Disclaimer: **I don't own the good stuff. Ya know, Naruto and Game of Thrones.

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_A New Game_

**Chapter Eight: Joust Another Day**

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**Year 283 AC**

Naruto knew there was a party going on somewhere in King's Landing after his latest victory. He received several invites to these parties while trying to return to the Martell family lodgings. It was crazy that six days ago, he could walk through the streets without drawing a second glance. Now no one could take their eyes off him. The change was as tiring as it was unwelcomed.

His fatigued personality also found itself amplified by the sore feeling that radiated from the spot he got stabbed. He managed to clean the wound without difficulty and now came the part where he mended the damage. Naruto could repair what befell his body, but the damage done to his pride was not so easily fixed.

"Of all the people who have tried, it was Meryn Trant that got me? Are you fucking kidding me?" The blonde berated himself, blue eyes flickering to red as he glared at the reflection of himself in the mirror. Naruto's dropped brow, furious gaze, and dangerous scowl would terrify plenty, but all the assassin saw was anger and regret.

Train as he might, there'd still be times where his emotions ruled his actions. It was an inevitable reality of being human, and he was okay with that. His problem laid with the fact that pride ruled him in the fight; that was unacceptable. If this news made it to Naruto's mentor, then the blonde would receive a beatdown, one he deserved.

"Take deep breaths and don't punch the mirror." Repeating that mantra until his anger drained itself, he removed his hand from the washing basin in front of him. Naruto would have plenty of time to beat himself up for such a dumb mistake later. First, he needed to finish healing the laceration that finally stopped bleeding.

A look of concentration stuck itself on Naruto's face. He breathed in once then breathed out, and the focus blended into something calmer. His whisker marks smoothed out like the creases in his brow. There was a gentle hum in the air as Naruto's hand became enclosed in a mild green energy. Taking a breath, Naruto pushed his hand against the open cut with a grimace. There was a long hiss before Naruto's grimace started to fall away.

Keeping his hand steadied over his injury for ten seconds, the Melee Champion killed the flow of Chakra and peeled his hand away to reveal the results. The sword's entry point was gone and left in its place was a tender red spot that stood out from the rest of his tanned complexion. "Who knows how many scars, cuts, and bruises I'd have if I didn't learn how to heal myself."

It was a paradox that someone so efficient in killing knew how to heal, but Naruto wouldn't trade the skill for anything. Forget using it on himself. There wasn't anything like the happiness on the faces of the people he got the help with his healing abilities. That alone made all the months he spent mastering his control worth it.

He was about to fill his bath when the door to his room opened. "Naruto? Are you here?" The familiar sound of Elia's voice took away any worries of an intruder entering his room.

Turning around and walking out of his bathroom, the bare-chested man found Elia waiting for him in her sleeping wear. Her outfit was a big step down from what she had on earlier in the day. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped abruptly. Elia's cheeks looked red, and she seemed to be out of breath.

"Are you alright Elia, you look kind of red." He tried to keep the concern out of his voice, but this was his friend and containing his feelings was an impossible task.

Elia's brown eyes opened up further from surprise. She quickly waved off his concerns. "Don't worry about me, Naruto. I'm just a little heated from running around this place."

"Then maybe you should take a break. It won't kill you to relax for a while." Coming from him it probably sounded hypocritical, yet Elia couldn't take the strain like he did, no one could.

Scoffing at him, she walked up to Naruto confidently and thumped him on the chest with a finger. She only allowed his firm muscles to distract her for a moment before getting back on track. "Why don't you worry about yourself? I wasn't the one that got stabbed in the back, literally."

Naruto smiled to hide the self-directed loathing that came with being reminded of his failure. He couldn't blame Elia. He had no one but himself to blame for what happened. What he appreciated was the concern Elia showed for him.

The Dornish Princess used Naruto's silence to check on his physical state. Straying down the front of his muscular torso with her eyes, Elia gently ran her fingers over the place she remembered seeing him get stuck. To her complete amazement, there wasn't even a scar left on his skin.

While Elia marveled over his healing prowess, Naruto breathed in and out calmly. Her touch caused a slight irritation of pain, but her fingers on his skin also brought about a gentle pleasure that arced over his flesh.

"How is that possible? Did you use Chakra?"

When Naruto's blue eyes fluttered open, they found Elia's warm gaze waiting. It made Naruto smile alongside a warm sensation in his heart. "Yeah, I had enough Chakra to heal the wound. Sorry if I worried you." Naruto knew he worried her. He still remembered the scream she let out after he'd been run through by Trant's blade.

Elia didn't say anything, but she did something worse in Naruto's opinion. Instead of using words, her brown eyes welled up with unspent tears while her lower lip started to tremble from her raw emotions. With one gasp, the tears broke from their dam and rolled down her smooth cheeks.

Reacting on instinct, Naruto reached out and gently cupped Elia's face. He moved his thumbs to wipe away the beautiful woman's tears with a smile at home on his face. "Please don't cry because of me. I'm sorry I do stupid things, but I'm okay."

His touch calmed Elia down in short order. Her deep eyes slid closed, and Elia leaned into the hands left on her cheeks with a gentle sigh that predated a warm smile. She was content to stand back and enjoy Naruto's touch until she heard him speak. That made her giggle quietly.

She was more than pleased to see the warm, blue eyes of her friend expecting her when she opened her eyes. The amount of comfort she pulled from those pools was immeasurable. "I'm not sad, Naruto. I'm happy! I'm relieved that you were able to keep your promise. When h-he killed Aegon, I felt so useless, like there was nothing I could do. I tried to ignore that feeling Naruto, but every time I laid down at night, I was terrified. What happened if he came back? What if he killed Oberyn and Doran? What if he came back for my beautiful Rhae? These nightmares, I didn't know what..."

Not wanting to hear Elia in this kind of torment, Naruto did something surprising. He wrapped his sturdy arms around her and pulled the shaking woman into the sanctuary of his body. Naruto let the warmth of his physique envelope her as he tried to hold her so tightly that she couldn't shake any longer.

Elia took the contact well, nestling her teary face safely into the crook of Naruto's neck. Her arms looped around his neck as she clutched him as tightly as her delicate figure could manage. Her cries turned into full-blown sobs that were devoid of words.

Right now, Naruto didn't care that her fingers were clawing at his skin. He didn't mind the warm tears that soaked his bare flesh. The only thing Naruto focused on was being there for his friend. She deserved as much, if not more.

'I think this is the first time I've seen her cry.' Naruto thought with no small amount of respect for the woman in his arms and her strong heart. 'You're an incredible woman, Elia.' Sliding a hand up, he rubbed small circles into her back while he took the time to whisper words of comfort into her ear. Her lack of acknowledgment didn't stop him.

They could have been there for hours, and Naruto wouldn't have wavered. He was more than ready to stand there as the rock that Elia needed to navigate her storm of sorrow. Once her sobs turned into whimpers, Naruto lifted his head to place his cheek on the top of her head.

Naruto listened to the soft but harsh breaths that broke free from Elia. He waited until the breathing against his damp shoulder evened out before he tried to move towards the bed. He thought it would be for the best if they sat down, so that's what he had them do.

What he didn't count on was Elia falling right into his lap when they finally did move. With his movement stifled for a moment, Naruto's eyes looked down at the unmoving woman hunkered down in his lap. The man's blue eyes reflected uncertainty, but his arms were as strong as ever.

"Thank you..." Elia's whisper found itself lost in the muffled plane provided by the blonde's skin. She nuzzled one last time into the comforting warmth of Naruto's skin before slowly pulling her head back. "Thank you so much, Naruto."

Elia Martell may have red, tear-stricken eyes. She may have sported numerous tear trails on her cheeks. She may have looked like a mess, but even then, her small smile was an uncontested example of radiance that was impossible to replicate.

If his hands weren't so busy keeping Elia stable in his lap, then they would've been rubbing at the back of his head. "Ah, you're welcome, Elia. I'm glad I could help."

Chuckling at his bashful response, Elia looked at the wet splotches she left on her friend's bare body. She took the bottom of her shirt and used it to dry his skin. With a yawn painting her sigh, she leaned the side of her face into the warmth of his body, closing her eyes.

"Maybe you should go to bed?" He suggested quietly while his fingers entertained themselves by running through Elia's long wavy hair. The silky-smooth nature of her hair was quite comforting to touch.

"You're right. I think I'll sleep in here."

"That wasn't _exactly_ what I was thinking."

"Too bad because I'm not moving." Elia wasn't above using her tired body as a means to get what she wanted. It was the nature of Westeros to take any advantage one had. It was their life.

Naruto held onto his look until he realized that the Princess wasn't budging from her stance. He folded with an exasperated sigh. These Martells sure were a handful. "Fine, you can sleep here. I'll find somewhere else to-"

"No, you're sleeping in the bed too." If Elia had the strength, she would've outright pushed Naruto onto his back. Since she didn't possess that strength, she settled for a stern glare that dared him to challenge her.

Stiff as a board and just as uncomfortable with the idea, the assassin held himself back from calling the idea dumb. Here in King's Landing, sharing a bed with Prince Rhaegar's one-time wife was about as smart as standing in front of a dragon breathing fire.

"That's a terrible idea."

The plain deadpan that Naruto delivered his answer with caused Elia to pout. She didn't think it was _that_ bad of an idea. "Too bad, if you don't sleep here than I won't sleep at all."

From there, a silence spread as brown eyes battled with blue in a test of stubbornness. Naruto could have stared her down all night. Her brown eyes were welcoming in that way. However, both of them needed to sleep. "Okay you win, but I'm going to get cleaned up before I turn in for the night."

He pretended that her smile wasn't downright victorious. "I'll be right here when you get back, Naruto."

* * *

_Joust Day_

Fortunately for Naruto more than Elia, waking up went smoothly. No one found them in bed together. No one even knew that Elia wasn't in her room. The rest of the day didn't go nearly as smoothly, particularly during the festivities happening in the hours before the Joust.

Their reasons differed from person to person, yet that didn't stop the men and women in King's Landing from trying to talk to him. Naruto had offers ranging from exotic women to expansive lands if he agreed to serve the person offering the reward.

To avoid talking with antsy nobles, Naruto quite liberally used his duty as Elia's bodyguard to shut down any conversation he didn't want to have. Elia was crucial at this time because she pulled him away from the more stubborn high-born ilk.

The one person that Naruto couldn't avoid was Oberyn. Naruto noted that his friend was excited for the Joust, more so than usual. Oberyn also made sure to tell Naruto that his defeat in the Joust was eminent. The cocky prick. Naruto's good-natured internal insult brought forth a chuckle that stirred his body with a faint vibration.

"Is something wrong, Ser?"

A confused and concerned voice reminded Naruto that he did not stand alone at the moment. He found himself joined by a young man from House Baratheon, his temporary squire. The raven-haired lad held the task of armoring the assassin. Speaking of that armor, Naruto couldn't feel more uncomfortable underneath the bulk of heavy metals. He felt slow. "Nope, just thinking about something amusing. Oh, and don't call me Ser. I'm no knight."

Naruto tried to ease the nerves of his squire with a smile, but no dice. "A-Are you sure? You're jousting as a knight does, I wouldn't want to disrespect you..." The young man ended with a stammer and a quick look to the ground.

The blonde carefully took his hand, using it to pat the little Baratheon on his head. He had to be careful because he wore rather heavy gauntlets. Naruto wouldn't want to hurt the boy with the metal wrapped around his hand. "It's alright to talk. I won't rip your head off just because you have something to say. As to the Joust, I'm here because of the King."

"My dad says Lord Robert can be unpredictable." The boy said with a soft giggle. His reaction to Naruto was already so different from how their time together started.

Another strap pulled, and a clasp closed, Naruto remained still as flat water while his metal skin was shrugged into place by the squire's hand. "How much longer? I want to get out there in time to see Oberyn joust against Brynden Tully."

"Uh, you still..." Pausing, he took a breath. Remembering what Naruto said allowed him to finish strong. "You still need to pick your horse for the Joust."

Naruto's blue eyes scattered. It felt like such an obvious detail because it was. He needed a horse if he was going to partake in the Joust. The assassin nodded his head in agreement with what his squire had to say, laughing sheepishly. "That's probably a good idea!"

'I wonder if this kid realizes how out of my depth I am here?'

If his ever-helpful squire did notice, then he decided to hold his tongue about it. "If you'll follow me I can show you where they keep the horses for an occasion like this."

To fill the time, Naruto chose to ask his squire a question. "What's your name?" He felt bad he didn't already know the answer to this question.

"My name's Roddrick. We're here- Naruto." Roddrick had to force himself to stop the _Ser_ that wanted to leave his mouth. It was during that pause that the pair walked into a combination of a barn and stables, kicked up to the tenth degree as most things were in the Landing.

The interior of the building was a strange mix of hay and animal in how it smelled, but compared to the rest of King's Landing, it wasn't so bad. Stallions and mares lined every wall. However, Naruto had eyes for three specific mounts near the rear of the shadow-heavy building.

Leading Roddrick, Naruto's armor clattered soundly with every step he took. His approach garnered the attention of the three horses who looked at the Chakra-user curiously. "What can you tell me about these three, Roddrick?"

Roddrick glanced at the three before he started with the one on the far right.

"This is a breed of horse from the Stormlands. Back home we call these horses Storm Runners. The stories say they have enough energy to outrace storms. Storm Runners also require a lot of attention to perform at their best."

Naruto walked up to the excitable horse that marched in place. The horse's blended color of tan and red was quite beautiful. It proved Roddrick to be honest when it tried to lean over its stable and lick Naruto. Said blonde avoided the lick, but stroked the horse's snout with a smile. "Friendly thing, but not something to take into battle. Next please,"

"Second we have a horse born in the Reach. The Hex Mark is a beast of speed and composure. When first discovered by men of the Reach, these horses owned the label of _cursed_ because of their abnormal color."

Naruto didn't see the ashen shade of the mare's figure as a curse. His blue eyes saw a beautiful creature unique as could be with her gray color and a teardrop-shaped white mark on her forehead. He reached out to touch Hex Mark, and the mare met him halfway, leaning into the gentle touch settled on the side of her neck.

He ran his fingers through the smoky mane on her neck with a smile. Knowing there was one horse left, he turned to check on the final option. It didn't take long because as soon as his blue eyes landed on the beast, it snorted at him and stomped on its hooves.

"That's Red Hare. I don't know how many of these otherworldly creatures are out there, but Lord Robert paid plenty to have this one brought across the Narrow Sea. The only thing that matches Red Hare's speed and strength is its volatile temperament."

Forget the bright red coloring of the beast. Naruto could feel the anger pouring off the creature in spades. He didn't need to know much to know that Red Hare existed in emotion and power. It wasn't a horse that matched him.

"I'll take Hex Mark," Naruto said after a very brief period of deliberation, taking some feed in his hand for the mare to enjoy.

"An excellent choice. I think you should take Hex Mark out for a few laps in the riding area. It will help you two get used to each other." Roddrick said with a smile, happy his reading and squire training were of use in his first chance to apply it.

"That's a good idea. I also need to work with a lance. Come on, let's go."

* * *

The constant _thump _from heavy hooves raced towards each other. Dirt kicked up in the wake of powerful limbs of two racing horses. The horses looked completely natural. It was a far cry from the tension of the two armored men riding their backs.

Oberyn Martell rode in from the south while Brynden Tully raced down from the north. Just like the impending clash, the crowd was building to a crescendo of excitement. The time for the final round of the opening bout approached.

The moments quickly disappeared, and the time for action came forth. Oberyn Martell was no doubt an experienced fighter, but jousting was an entirely different animal. The young man's inexperience came through when he loaded up his thrust. Oberyn choreographed his attack by unleashing it too early.

Brynden leaned the targeted portion of his body back, putting crucial space between him and Oberyn. His torso rocked back, but his arm lunged forward, extending his lance over his horse's shoulder.

Time felt like it slowed down for the jousting men.

Inches felt like miles as the wooden lances of the two men crawled forth steadily. Oberyn's eyes gleamed with determination beneath his helmet. The point of his lance was a moment from scoring when his momentum stopped.

_Bang!_

Oberyn found himself so thrilled with the prospect of victory that he didn't bother raising his shield. The wood slamming into Oberyn's chest rang over the crowd's shouting. Oberyn was less than a moment from hitting Brynden when the impact hit him. He dropped his weapon while the rest of his body jerked back violently. The Red Viper gasped harshly beneath his helmet. He tried to clutch at the reigns on his saddle, but Brynden's strike was too powerful.

Oberyn's body bounced off the ground twice before coming to a stop while his running horse marched on. The young Prince bit at the inside of his cheek hard enough to draw blood, yet he didn't cry out. He fought a grimace to grab at the dented metal over his bruised and possibly dislocated shoulder. 'Fuck that hurt!'

Before Oberyn could ask himself what happened, his opponent trotted over on his horse. Brynden had a dent in his chest like Oberyn just more shallow than the one Oberyn received. Brynden eased himself down then lent a hand to his toppled opponent.

The helmet hid his sweating head, and it also covered a calculating gaze. After a second of staring at the hand, Oberyn sighed and accepted the gesture of respect.

Brynden was careful in helping Oberyn up off the dirt. He knew all too well how much pain the receiving end of a lance could create. "You did well for someone new to the Joust."

Grunting through his clenched teeth, Oberyn tried and failed at massaging his aching joint. "It certainly doesn't feel like it."

The Tully knight took a good laugh from that admission of pain. He only stopped laughing to give the younger man a bit of advice on his jousting technique. "No, it wouldn't. You made two big mistakes. You started your striking motion too early, and you were also leaning too far forward in the saddle. It shows that the moment got to you. You were excited, weren't you?"

Oberyn could have been convinced to laugh at himself if it weren't for his damnable shoulder. "Yeah, you got me on that. I should have expected that from The Blackfish."

"Come on, Oberyn. I'll help you towards the medical area."

Their clash didn't work out in Oberyn's favor, but the clash between the two men gave Naruto a good taste of what to expect. Short and violent, the assassin noted how important reactionary movements were. Too early and you were screwed. Too late and you were screwed. "Hm..."

Unaware of the thoughts in Naruto's head, Roddrick mistook the blonde's hum for something else. "That's Ser Brynden Tully, Knight of the Gate. He's an exceptional knight!"

Naruto was the kind of man who gave respect to opponents who deserved it, but he'd never say they were threats to beat him until they did. Or at least that's what he'd do in a straight-up fight. The medium of a Joust changed things. "Is he my greatest competition?"

"Oh no, Ser Jamie will win this for sure."

Hearing those words out of _his _squire's mouth brought a severe flat look to Naruto's face. "Thank you for the massive vote of confidence, Roddrick." His blue eyes were nearly down and his frown firm in place while he looked at Roddrick's face.

The stone-cold quality in Naruto's voice reminded Roddrick of his position. He blanched quickly and tried backpedaling even quicker. "T-That's not what I meant, Naruto! I p-promise!"

Satisfied that his prank got pulled with perfect execution, Naruto accepted the apology without a second of thought. He did wear a satisfied grin, however. "Don't worry about it too much. Speak of the man, and so he shall appear."

Prophetic or simply aware, Naruto's statement came true when Jaime rode into the jousting area. Jaime had himself dressed to the teeth and then some in gold while his white horse looked radiant in silver armor that reflected the sun's light. To those with little or no battle experience, his presence would be intimidating. Naruto, however, thought the ploy to be amusing.

Meanwhile, his opponent stood a stark opposite to the glitter of the Kingsguard. Dressed in a traditional armor and riding a rather ordinary steed, Stannis Baratheon didn't waste time.

Unlike the two men that needed to focus on their upcoming clash, Naruto could lend an ear to the whispers of an excited crowd. Apparently, this clash had a lot of weight behind it.

The King's brother, Stannis Baratheon

The Golden Knight, Jaime Lannister

It was the weight of a name which fueled this fight, more so than the fame of advancing further. If Stannis found victory, it helped strengthen the new royal family as capable fighters in the eyes of the people. Meanwhile, should Jaime beat Stannis, Lannister influence in King's Landing would shoot through the roof. Not publically, but politically for sure.

"I'm glad I don't have to worry about things like that all the time," Naruto said aloud, his hand rubbing at the side of Hex Mark's neck. The affectionate petting earned Naruto a calming sound from the mare.

"What are you talking about?" Roddrick turned his head in a crooked fashion to face Naruto in hopes of finding an explanation or elaboration. He didn't get an answer, but Roddrick along with everyone else did get treated to the blaring tune of a horn.

While everyone was getting in place, Naruto chose to take his seat in Hex Mark's saddle. From up here, Naruto had a point of view that could only be matched by someone like Gregor or Sandor Clegane. 'Alright Jaime, show me what all the fuss is about.'

In their armor, it was difficult to pick up on body language, but their gazes were transparent. Stannis and Jaime were taking the other as serious as could be. This Joust was a matter of pride, and neither of the two was looking to come out the loser.

The horses started their gallop, following the straight line they were expected to run. Jaime and Stannis looked fated to reach the center point of the Jousting field at the same time. Lances were armed as the people screamed for Lannister or Baratheon.

'Three...'

Stannis' arm loaded up, balancing the previously bouncing lance in his hand.

'Two...'

Jaime held an upright posture as his horse neared the meshing point at the center of the strip.

'One...'

Unleashing a warcry fitting any Baratheon, Stannis reached the apex of his charge and lunged. Jaime would have run into his attack if not for one pivotal development. Instead of rushing in, Jaime waited until it was too late for Stannis to pull himself out before he acted.

Jaime grabbed the control strap to his horse and pulled on it. The force from his yank was just enough to place a hitch in the white stallion's gait.

Stannis saw the results. Everyone saw the end result. The point of his lance which he counted on finding Jaime's chest fell short, bucked away by Jaime's lion-styled shield. His chance at thrashing the golden knight of Lannister thwarted by a mere few inches. 'No! I was meant to win; this isn't how it was supposed to happen!'

Anger, panic, and so many more negative emotions crashed down on Stannis. These emotions clouded his mind and brought forth a dangerous case of tunnel vision. His focus settled solely on his outstretched lance, not on what Jaime had planned in response.

The smirk on Jaime's face was the look of a man that outsmarted his competition. Gracefully sliding to the left side of Stannis' lance, Jaime buried the end of his weapon in the solar plexus of the King's brother without hesitation. The old lance splintered down the side when all that momentum suddenly stopped, rippling through Stannis' body violently.

Throwing out a grunt, Jaime forced a final surge of power through his arm. That burst tossed the bent forward body of the first-born Baratheon to the ground. The Kingsguard didn't even bother looking back at Stannis who laid unmoving in a cloud of dust.

Stannis' dust hadn't even settled before the crowd erupted. Some cheered for Jaime while others jeered the Baratheon that got bested. Naruto figured these were the people who had a vested interest in the bout, money perhaps.

Speaking of having a stake in the proceedings, Naruto took a glance to the pavilion, specifically at Robert.

Naruto was surprised that the King took his brother's loss so well, outwardly at least. It was a miracle that the glass in his hand hadn't shattered. However, the fury building up in his eyes spoke volumes of how Robert really felt. The only question was who earned that fury? Jaime or Stannis?

Beside the King, as expected, Cersei sat in her seat with a satisfied smirk sunken into the features of her regal face. Her hands were settled properly on her stomach while she looked to her twin brother in admiration.

'They're definitely pulling in different directions.' Naruto wondered how long their marriage would last if such signs were already starting to show themselves. He also wondered what that might mean for the chair Robert owned, but that was a problem for the future.

Personally, Naruto had no problem seeing Jaime victorious. He couldn't be sure that the Lannister man stood as a friend, but they had mutual respect, which was more than Naruto could say for a majority of King's Landing. 'Roddrick was telling the truth. Jaime is the one I need to keep eyes on.'

The squire moved from Naruto's thoughts to the world outside when he tapped the blonde on his thigh. Blinking his blue eyes, Naruto turned his gaze down to the youth on the ground. "What is it?"

"You're up, Naruto."

Naruto smiled at his squire, playing off the fact that he lost focus on his fight. "Come on, girl." Whispering to Hex Mark, Naruto gave the reigns a faint tug, spurring on the ashen beast to the field of battle. And of course, Roddrick tracked in behind him with lances in hand.

Naruto made certain to ride past the pavilion on his way to the strip. The number of women both married and not that tried to get his attention amused and repulsed him. Riding past that lot, he slowed down in front of the Martell section. Since Oberyn was recovering the guard was tripled around Elia.

Said Princess had a supportive look on her face that almost concealed her angst. Oberyn getting hurt probably didn't help her in that regard. Almost at a dead stop at this point, the blonde in the armor gave Elia his best smile. He let that simple gesture serve as a promise that he'd be alright. Naruto even went out of his way to stay in place until she returned the gesture, uneasy as her smile might be.

Now he could turn his attention to the tourney.

Set up in position, Naruto hefted the weight of his lance in his dominant hand. All his tools were ready to run, but that was only half of the equation. What he didn't have as much certainty in was his opponent.

The assassin didn't know anything about Jorah Mormont other than the man's name. And honestly, Naruto didn't need to know more than that. He'd learn how quick Jorah struck and how strong his lance arm was in the coming moments.

'I don't know shit about jousting, so I'll have to be unconventional. I'll take Jorah's first hit clean. I'll use that hit to measure his reaction time and strength. In the second round, I'll beat him.' Plus Naruto had Chakra to help him should he need it.

Fighting always helped Naruto focus both mind and body, which is why the signal for them to start only barely pierced the pleading sounds from the crowd that called for his acknowledgment. Naruto flipped down the plate in the helmet, covering his face as he rode out to meet Jorah.

Closer and closer, many of the people -Jorah included- waited for the Mountain Slayer to brandish the lance. They waited for something that never came to pass. What the adoring crowd saw take place made them gasp collectively.

Naruto may not have attacked, but Jorah took full advantage of the opportunity given to him. He braced his arm against his body and followed through with enough force that the lance broke against Naruto's armor. Dropping the piece of timbers, Jorah rode forward thinking he'd won. So when he looked back, he found himself quite surprised.

'I probably should have blocked that with my shield. Oh well...'

Instead of in the dirt writhing in pain, Naruto remained on his horse. He wasn't slouching forward, nor was he rocking back. The whiskered joust novice remained proudly upright on Hex Mark. This turn of events led to whispers of disbelief, many wondering just who or what Naruto was.

Oh, and of course there were cheers from those who Naruto won over the day prior. These were a sect of people who essentially saw Naruto as invincible.

Completing the loop, both men worked their way back to their starting position. Jorah looked at Naruto in disbelief while Naruto examined the state of both his armor and body.

Having a lance burst on a person was nothing new. Neither was someone surviving the breaking of a lance. That said, it was still worth noting when it happened the first time in a joust.

'I have what I need. It's time to win this thing.' Naruto now knew that he could move faster than Jorah. All he needed to do was wait, and that would bring him victory.

Naruto ignored Roddrick's baffled look as he moved back into a readied position. Gently clapping the insides of his ankles against Hex Mark, the newly minted duo sped forward.

Jorah did the same.

The shaking didn't stop Naruto's blue eyes from examining the man coming out to meet him. They were three strides from each other when Naruto saw Jorah starting to turn at the waist.

Two strides out and the man from Bear Island turned his shoulder, opening it to Naruto who kept his lance down low. To this point, things were looking eerily similar to the first bout of this jousting match. Jorah's shield with twin bears followed a few inches behind.

As the last horse length between Naruto and Jorah closed, Jorah lifted his lance and poised it to strike. From beneath his helmet, Naruto smirked, his expectations coming true.

A single gallop shrunk down to half that when Naruto finally moved. The blonde flourished his arm, tearing the lance through the resistance of the air and into position. The delay between arming and Naruto's attack was nonexistent. Naruto's smirk widened when he felt the thud of his lance meeting Jorah's right collar bone.

Jorah Mormont was lucky Naruto purposefully went for the armor because if Naruto went a millimeter to the right, then his lance would be in Jorah's neck.

In real-time, it was merely a blur for fighter and spectator alike. One moment Naruto's weapon was down and in the next, he buried it into Jorah's shoulder.

Bear Island's Lord lurched back, sliding over the rear of his horse. The only reason he didn't fall flush in the dirt was due to his left foot getting stuck in the saddle. Dangling in the embarrassing position of being dragged by his horse, Jorah's attempts to free himself ended when the stallion turned the corner. The whiplash from the turn sprung him free. It also sent him careening off the ground like a ragdoll.

As if the pain wasn't enough, every tumble over himself injured the Northerner's pride. By the time he finally managed a stable position on one knee, the crowd already began showering Naruto with praise.

'How could I lose to some kid from the south?' Jorah mistakenly thought Naruto's victory yesterday to be a fluke. He paid for the mistake today.

Naruto's timely turn to regard Jorah made it seem like the _kid_ read his thoughts. Memories of his very fresh defeat and the stories he heard in the inn from last night froze Jorah in place.

The only reason Naruto looked away was because of a voice approaching him from behind. "And I thought I liked to put on a show."

He flipped the plate covering his face up. The assassin revealed himself to be wearing a smile as he turned to face Jamie on his white horse. "I don't know if you've heard, but I have a reputation to uphold."

"Of course, you are the mighty Mountain Slayer after all!" Jaime's snickering turned into true laughter upon remembering the look on his father's face. Vicariously through Naruto, it felt like a small bit of payback for all of Tywin's overbearing demands when Jaime was but a child.

"Yes, I tend to kill monsters when I'm in King's Landing," Naruto admitted with a smirk that bordered on dastardly.

A deeper dive into what Naruto said never came because the pair were joined by the third man to advance into the tourney. "Down to the three of us, eh?"

Jamie bobbed his head, confirming and agreeing to the obvious statement from Brynden Tully. "I wonder how our new King will decide who is to face whom?" Personally, Jaime wanted to joust against his friend, but a bout with The Blackfish wouldn't be a bad consolation prize.

Brynden reached up and rubbed at the light layer of facial hair on his chin. His helmet held against his hip until it was needed once more. "Robert's the head with the crown. Let that head make the decision. I'm fine with beating either of you two anyways!"

Naruto could only chuckle at the banter.

* * *

A thoroughly vexed Robert looked at the remaining three men on the jousting field. He only wanted to watch fights, but now he had logistic problems. It made him want to pull the hairs from his beard out. "Damnit! Can we find two more fools to joust, even the numbers out and all that?"

Robert received silence in return that was until he whipped around and faced those behind him. "For people meant to advise me, you lot are awfully silent!" His fury stilled any hope of response for it might upset the warrior king.

The one person confident enough to speak without fear for what it might trigger was Jon Arrryn, The Hand. "I would suggest against that idea, Robert. You've already ruffled some feathers shoehorning Naruto into the Joust."

_"BAH!" _Westeros' King openly scoffed at the warning given to him by his mentor. Those idiots and their families could balk all the wanted. He was the King. If he wanted to fudge with a tourney, then he'd damn well do it.

"Perhaps you can give out a bye."

Robert turned sharply to the person who offered the unexpected option. The words came right from the mouth of his wife, Cersei. "What did you say?" Robert questioned the Queen, his naturally brash voice coming off as rude.

Tywin's only daughter moved her enchanting emerald eyes from the group of Brynden, Jaime, and Naruto to her husband. Her smile only persisted for a moment after looking away from her blood. "If you allow one of those three a free round then it secures your final round."

"It is a sound idea, but how is Robert to pick who receives such an honor?" Jon was honest when he said that he liked the idea. Cersei's unforeseen suggestion offered a sensible avenue out of their conundrum. The only problem came in picking the man that got this free pass.

"That's simple. Robert must give it to the best among them. Jaime is the clear choice." Cersei's voice rolled in with a confidence that could only be matched by its smoothness.

As natural as the moon coming after the sun, King Robert's mouth took a drastic turn down after hearing the Kingslayer's name. Merely hearing it made the Baratheon blood bubble. _"Playing favorites Cersei?"_

Cersei gracefully let her husband's snide remark flow by her. She had the perfect rationale ready for when her family ties were brought up. "Nothing so childish, my love. Jaime beat your brother in one round, faster than the other two. Therefore he should be the one to claim his spot in the final round."

Robert's potent stare hammered silently into the front put up by his wife; the number of warriors to crumble beneath that stare stood high, but Cersei held strong. The Queen's poise and regal upbringing refused to yield. 'She does bring up a good point.'

Sighing, he turned away from his group of people that way he once again faced the three fighters and the crowds below. "Listen up!"

* * *

"Jaime Lannister will advance to the Joust's final round! His victory being the fastest earned him this honor! That means Brynden Tully will face Naruto for the right to advance in the Joust!"

Naruto took the information in stride. He preferred having to fight his way up the ladder. Turning his head towards Jaime, the blonde let his musings go free. "Looks like being a quick finisher worked out for you, huh Jaime?"

"Yap all you want Naruto. While you're busy trying to shove your spear into The Blackfish, I'll be thinking about my Queen of Love and Beauty!" Jaime replied with a small smirk, returning one innuendo with another before he wandered off.

The blue-eyed blonde shook his head with the tiniest of smirks on his whiskered face. "What an ass." His comment sounded more amused than it sounded like an insult.

"It seems like you and I will trade lances, Mountain Slayer." Pulled in the other direction by those words, the assassin turned tourney jouster saw Brynden waiting for him with a confident smirk. "Don't think I'll overlook or underestimate you like everyone else."

Naruto responded to the challenge with laughter. He made sure that his laughing didn't lead to him pulling on Hex Mark's reigns. "I look forward to it! I was hoping someone could give me a decent run in this thing."

If Brynden had more of a western personality, then Naruto's words would've cut into his pride. Instead of that response, Brynden chuckled back. "I can only imagine. Good luck, Naruto."

"The same to you Brynden." The pair shared a handshake before riding to their respective ends of the strip. Both men took a lance and a shield in hand. These tools would be necessary when the horn blew, a horn that just went off.

The first clash between Naruto and Brynden Tully went as such. Brynden's shield absorbed Naruto's attempt at a thrust while the man from The Riverlands scored a glancing blow on Naruto's right shoulder. The light pop on Naruto's armor followed both contestants as they rounded back into their spots.

_Round one went to Brynden Tully._

Despite coming out on the losing end and cleanly, Naruto wore a smirk underneath the plate that covered his face. What Brynden provided gave Naruto precisely what he wanted. He finally had a challenge to overcome!

They came running in for the second go as soon as possible. Naruto and Brynden wished to test the mettle of the man riding their opposite, so they did. And the only way to do that was to joust.

Racing forward, neither man cared for the cheering crowd because they were busy glaring at the other with the determination to not lose. When the moment came, both men lunged at the same time. Brynden and Naruto reacted in the same way. They brought their shields up to defend themselves.

This snap decision saved the knight and assassin from suffering bodily pain at the cost of their shields and lances. The simultaneous responses created a crunching sound as wood shattered against wood.

_Round two proved to be a tie._

Naruto openly laughed as he rode Hex Mark back to where Roddrick waited with a lance in his arms. He didn't say a word because his hidden smirk said everything about how he felt. Gripping the new lance and holding his arm out for his new shield, Naruto thanked Roddrick for the help.

Naruto saw Brynden nod and returned the gesture, a silent measure to show both were ready for their third pass.

Centering himself as his horse continued to jostle him about, the assassin kept a level-head. Brynden got closer, and this time it was Naruto who struck first. He threaded a stabbing motion right above Brynden's shield, rocking the Tully knight's upper body back on the horse. The momentum shift rocked Brynden's thrust wayward.

_The third round went to Naruto._

The back and forth between Blackfish and Maelstrom left the crowd in a tizzy. It was an excitement that infested a number of the nobles too- at least those who didn't despise Naruto for yesterday's spectacle.

People like Tywin Lannister, for instance. The patriarch of the family of lions wasn't even present for today's events. But those were thoughts for when Naruto wasn't fighting someone.

Naruto tightened his fingers around the lance's hilt. He heard the metal of his armor groaning in protest, but it was what his eyes found that had his attention. Brynden's right half slumped in comparison to the left. It wasn't much. However, it was enough for Naruto to notice a difference. 'That's the shoulder I hit.'

Now that he spotted a weakness, Naruto had a plan. This time he didn't need to spur Hex Mark on; the intelligent horse knew what she needed to do. Feeling the earth vibrating under the mare's hooves, he took a deep breath.

When he finished that breath, Brynden was in front of him. His lance dove in towards Naruto's body. Naruto brought his shield arm up and parried the blow north. His strong defense bucked Brynden off-balance thus opening up his guard.

Naruto pounced on that bodily failure. His lance powered forward, piercing the air and crashing into Brynden's shoulder. Brynden's armor caved in beneath the force of Naruto's lance. Unlike the last attack, this lance came in with enough momentum to knock Brynden off his horse.

_The fourth round was the final round. Naruto had defeated Brynden Tully._

Slowing his horse down to a stop, the victor gracefully dismounted from his equally elegant ride. Brynden Tully gave him a challenge, so Naruto gave him respect by helping him back to his feet. Plus, Brynden did the same for Oberyn. Clutching the man's forearm, Naruto pulled him up.

"Seven Hells, I haven't been hit that hard in a long time." Brynden bemoaned underneath the cover of his helm.

"Heh. What can I say? Drinking milk makes for a strong arm."

It started as a small bubbling noise, but from there it grew and grew until Brynden Tully's entire body rumbled with a vigorous case of laugher. Of all the things he thought might be said, that wasn't it.

"Hey now, don't laugh at me or the milk. It's much better than all that alcohol you people pile down your throats. Seriously, do you people bathe in that shit or something?" It was something that Oberyn was guilty of doing as well.

Uttering a final snort, Brynden Tully shook Naruto's hand with his good arm. "Good luck against the Lannister, Naruto. I'll be pulling for you."

"Thanks"

* * *

_CRASH!_

_SMASH!_

A miniature boy lifted his bushy eyebrow over the brim of his golden goblet. The sweet wine was running dry, but the action was going strong. He thought that things would wrap up by now, yet that wasn't the case. "How many draws is that now, Sandor?"

"Six, Lord Tyrion." Sandor's reply was immediate. The man with the half-burnt face hadn't missed a moment of action when it came to the person who defeated his brother.

Dropping his goblet and reaching for a jug, Tyrion poured himself a fresh cup of delicious wine. "Perhaps it was foolish of me not to expect this from the man who killed my father's Mountain?" Tyrion let that thought simmer as he swiveled the wine in his goblet.

Coughing into his sizable hand, Sandor tried to intervene on behalf of his lord. "Do you think it is wise to continue drinking the wine?" The little imp may have been smarter beyond his years, but the boy was still only ten years old.

Tyrion scoffed at the faux warning, a gesture that sprayed some of the prune-colored liquid from his mouth. He dabbed at the few stray streams with his tongue, recollecting his precious drink. "Please, this is hardly alcoholic! 'Sides, it helps with the pain." As if the height problem wasn't enough, being an imp came with untold amounts of natural pain.

Awkward as the moment was, it didn't last long before Tyrion's dulled tongue intervened. "Have you thought about going to visit that brother of yours, Sandor?"

Sandor spat on the floor at the mere suggestion. Clearly, political decorum wasn't something the large man had down pat as of yet. "He can rot in whatever hole they dumped him in, the shitstain!"

Eager to move past the subject of his brother, Sandor bluntly shifted the focus of their talk. "Looks like they are ready to go at it again." True to his word, Naruto and Jaime were already on a path towards each other. It was to be their seventh attempt to best the other.

The two lances flashed underneath the afternoon sun. Weapons made from finished wood barged forward by their master's respective commands. Any promise the rounded ends of the lances had were brought to a premature end when the shields went up. Those small bucklers ate the blows, breaking both lance and shield alike upon impact.

Jaime broke his seventh lance. Naruto broke his seventh lance. For the seventh consecutive time, they were at an impasse.

The barked command of again rained down from the pavilion, so both Lannister and House-less trotted their mounts into position one more time. It took no time at all for Naruto and Jaime to be set up for an eighth round.

When Naruto rode out to meet Jaime, some thought the result might change. The only thing that changed by the end of the pass was the number of stalemates. It was a number that now stood at a total of eight ties.

One person that did not enjoy the building suspense that came from nothing happening was the King himself. His mood soured from what it was at the start. When the final round began, Robert looked forward to seeing the Kingslayer sent into the dirt. Well, that hadn't happened, and Robert finally had enough.

"NO SHIELDS! I WANT A WINNER THIS ROUND!"

Naruto and Jaime both looked up at the red-faced King. The assassin shrugged and tossed his shield to the side. Jaime quickly followed suit. Now neither man had a way to defend himself, just like the King wanted.

'You might be the best jouster in the realm Jaime, but you can't match me blow for blow.' Jaime had technique over Naruto and Naruto had power over Jaime. Without shields in play, this came down to who hit harder.

"GO!"

The King's demand for action rid Naruto of his thoughts. Like the previous eight attempts, the final competitors rode out to tackle the challenge. Unlike the other times, the aspect of counter-attacking with the shield got removed. This simplifying of their task allowed both blondes to focus wholly on loading up for the heaviest strike they could produce.

Not stopping, Kingslayer met Mountain Slayer without hesitation. Their lances crashed into the other at the same time, thus silencing the rabid crowd. The moment it took for the results to come through may as well have been an eternity.

A deafening roar of applause burst from the crowd. The escalating decibels of this moment only compared to the volume brought to bear during the Melee.

The crowd was the only thing that Jaime heard as he looked at the blue sky from his place in the dirt. 'That bastard beat me...' A grin cracked Jaime's face. 'Well done, my friend.'

All of that anger was left forgotten as Robert bounced onto his feet, cheering the mysterious blonde's victory louder than any. His celebration irked his wife, but Robert didn't care enough to stop. "YES! Everyone pay your respects! Cheers to the victor of both the Melee and the Joust, Naruto!"

Naruto gave the King a sideways glance before he removed his helmet, letting both blonde hair and blue eyes see the sunlight again. His reveal made women both young and old in the crowd blush. Naruto made sure to turn and face every direction, nodding to any person who so chose to rally behind him.

That dedication and humble gesture only endeared the two-time champion to the people further- if such a thing was possible.

'Thank the Gods that's over. I need to get out of this metal suit.' His plans included a nice bath, a warm meal and maybe-

His plans for the day fell short, interrupted by a man wearing simple enough robes. Naruto remembered the man as one of the many who helped organize this whole shebang. "Congratulations Ser, as the Champion of the Joust, you are allowed to name a Lady here as your Queen of Love and Beauty, dedicating your victory to her."

Naruto rose one of his brows at that statement. He hadn't known that such an honor existed. Shoving that lack of knowledge down, he carefully took the crown of red roses with a golden trim around each flower petal. Together the string of flowers looked like a sky melting in the glow of the setting sun.

What he was about to do would turn heads, start conversations, and raise eyebrows, but he didn't care. Not even looking at all the women making eyes at him, Naruto ignored their suggestively coy expressions and made his way over towards one woman in particular.

The whispers that already existed only got stronger when Naruto positioned himself right in front of Elia Martell.

Naruto saw every emotion pouring from Elia's warm eyes. It was a mixture of relief, happiness, and disbelief. He ignored the hand she had over her mouth and the faintest of teary gleams in her eyes. Naruto stepped up to her with a warm smile on his face. "My lady, would you please take the honor of being my Queen of Love and Beauty?"

At that moment Elia Martell forgot how to breathe. This moment would replace the Tourney Harrenhal when Rhaegar chose Lyanna Stark over her, and soon Harrenhal would be completely forgotten. Nodding before she spoke, Elia managed to choke out one word. "Yes!"

Naruto basked in the brilliance of her smile. It was a small gesture, but it brought him more happiness than winning both tourney events combined. Elia deserved a moment like this. Carefully he placed the crown of flowers on her head before he kissed the back of her hand. "Thank you for honoring me, my lady."

The crowd's subsequent eruption was secondary to the look on Elia's face, everything was.

* * *

_Later That Day_

A nice bath? Yeah right.

A warm meal? In his dreams.

Speaking of dreams, forget about the nap he wanted to take.

He dodged certain doom when he weaseled out of the first party, but Naruto wasn't lucky enough to miss the second party thrown in the Red Keep. It was the hand of his Queen of Love and Beauty that sealed his harsh fate.

You see, Naruto tried to go with Elia to visit Oberyn. He didn't get very far before Elia ordered him to make an appearance at tonight's party. Naruto being who he was resisted her three times before the stubborn princess cornered him into agreeing.

Worse than that, Naruto found himself forced into wearing more _appropriate _clothes, courtesy of the mind of Elia Martell. The silk vest he wore was finer than anything he ever wore. Dulled orange accented with a gleaming black trim on the peripherals, Naruto had a shirt-vest hybrid held closed across the chest by a trio of thin, silver chains. He sported a similarly colored sash tied over his left hip, the excess from the sash waterfalling down his left pant leg.

"What do you think about that proposition, Ser Naruto?" He didn't have the proper time to lament the clothes he wore before his thoughts were intruded upon by a man that refused to leave him alone.

Hiding the frown and stomping out his sigh, the assassin in fine clothing spared the cheese and meat in front of him a perturbed look. A moment later, his blue eyes pulled up to meet the puffed-up face of Mace Tyrell.

Despite being the Lord of one of Westeros' richest lands, the man was a complete, bumbling idiot. In the twenty-something minutes Mace chatted him up, there wasn't a wise word to be heard. 'Now I know why people like to call him _Lord Oaf_. I better deal with this.'

Picking one of the small slices of cheese with a small pick, Naruto took the whole chunk in one bite. He savored the flavor for a handful of moments before Mace got his attention. "Are you sure it is wise to be so... open about things here, Lord Tyrell? You were on the opposing side of Robert and his rebels."

"There's no need for such worries! It's all water under the bridge. We are allies like I hope you and I will be! So what do you say?" Swatting away the idea that he might be in danger, Mace's brown eyes stuck to Naruto in anticipation.

Naruto tried not to be irritated, but the task wasn't easy. "I'll admit it is an interesting idea. Speaking of which, I find it interesting that your wife isn't here with you? Where is Lady Tyrell? If you don't mind me asking?"

"Alerie? She is back at Highgarden taking care of Loras and preparing for the arrival of our forth child." There was a moment where Naruto believed his attempt to change the subject worked. That was until Mace opened his mouth again. "Don't worry about those things! Tell me, what's your answer? With your skills and the riches of the Reach, we can do great things!"

This time Naruto did sigh at the persistent son of Olenna Tyrell. He placed his plate down and turned his cold expression around on the dealmaker. "I won't speak about business when I'm already serving a commitment to another. Please do not push the issue further."

"What? No, that doesn't make sense! You need to-"

"Excuse me, Lord Tyrell, I'm afraid the King would like to speak with Ser Naruto."

The pair turned to meet a balding man with a red goatee and sternly set eyebrows sinking against the top of brown eyes. Naruto didn't recognize the man, but Mace did. "Lord Penrose?"

Corvo Penrose was one the Stormlands most loyal sons, a loyalty that extended to the man on the Iron Throne. He only offered a nod in response. "If you will excuse us, we must see to King Robert."

Mace's tongue-tied itself up while his mouth opened and closed a few times. The _skilled_ warrior from the Reach floundered for a few moments before ultimately walking away, acquiescing to Corvo's wishes and by proxy Robert's.

It wasn't until Mace disappeared in the party's busy floor that Naruto let his shoulders drop with a sigh. His chains jingled over the sound of his relief. "I thought I was going to need a fake illness to get him off my back. Thank you for your help."

The Lord of Parchments offered Naruto a measured smile. He didn't know Mace Tyrell personally, but he heard the rumors about the man. "There's no need to thank me, Ser Naruto. I'm only doing the job given to me by the King."

Naruto tried to smile and failed. He was so annoyed with everyone calling him Ser. No matter how many times he tried to correct them, no one listened to him. It was easier to ignore the title. "Does he?"

"Aye, but he seems to have disappeared for the time being." Lord Penrose murmured with a tight squint. It was the King's empty chair that Corvo examined.

"Awesome, then I'll see him when I come back. I need a bit of space. This place is giving me a headache."

Robert's trusty bannerman tried to stop Naruto, but the assassin proved to be too quick. Naruto only needed seconds to hide among the chatting nobles on the floor before sneaking out through the nearest exit.

Finally, in the clear, the man with Chakra slumped back against the closest wall with a heavy sigh. He ran a hand over his face and shook his head in dismay. "Give me a fight to the death over these stuffy parties any day." At least in a fight to the death, he knew what to expect from the people he encountered.

"Well... no use complainin' about it!" And just like that Naruto pushed himself off the wall. Looking down both sides of the hallway, he chose to take the left end.

He kept going for a few minutes, fiddling with the top-most chain to help pass the time. "Where am I going?" The blonde asked himself as he dropped the chain from between his fingertips.

Naruto was ready to turn the closest corner until he heard two voices talking. Instinct kicked in at that point, and Naruto clung to the wall that hid his presence. With a bit of Chakra to help him, the sneaky man's ears turned into a conversation in progress.

"Brother! You have to reconsider the seat of Storm's End! We can't give it to Renly! The boy's not ready for that level of responsibility, not yet! He'd turn our proud House into a joke!"

"What do you mean _we_? The choice is mine alone to make or have you forgotten that, Stannis?"

There was a notable pause, probably a wise one on Stannis' part. Brother or not, Robert was the King of The Seven Kingdoms and could do any number of unpleasant things to Stannis should he see fit. "All I'm trying to say is that the Lord of Storm's End should go to the oldest candidate, not the youngest."

"You think you're a better choice than Renly?" The disbelief in Robert's words was nearly measurable.

"Of course I am, Renly is but a child!"

"Then why were you left in the dirt by the fucking Kingslayer!?"

"Brother that was-" Stannis never even got close to finishing whatever position he planned on taking. His brother's anger quickly overtook him.

"I AM YOUR KING, NOT YOUR BROTHER!" Robert refused to have his position undermined, or maybe he just disliked his brother that much. It could have been either reason. "Do you know what your failure did? The people around here already look to those gold bastards, and then you went on and lost to one of them, a boy no less! They think our family is weak, because of _you_!"

Even from so far away, Naruto was certain that Stannis' blood was at a boiling point. "My King, I only need another chance to prove that I am the only choice to lead the Stormlands!"

"A chance? A fucking chance?" The halls boomed with the bafflement laced in Robert's thunderous voice. "You had a chance in the war, and you hid in Storm's End! You had a chance to make friends who could support you, yet you made enemies!"

It was painstakingly clear that Robert was going to turn Stannis down. That is why the stoic Baratheon did something rare for someone his character. His last gambit was to appeal to Robert's emotions.

"Rob- my King, please, for the mother that birthed us, allow me one chance to make her proud." This request stood apart from the others. This time there was no strength to be found, only the sullen sound of sadness.

Stannis' final attempt came with a silence that left both Robert and Stannis to think back on their mother, Cassana.

"Fine, if you want a chance so badly then I'll give you one. You're to create a fleet and sail it to Dragonstone. The former Queen and her dragonspawn are there. Take the Stone and bring me their bodies."

"It will be done, my King."

"Good, now let's get back to the party. I need a drink."

Naruto waited until their footsteps faded away before peeling himself off the red stone wall. 'Queen Rhaella and her children are still alive? How interesting...'

He let those thoughts fill his mind as he traveled through several random halls. Naruto lost track of how many turns he took as all of the red brick blurred together. It was the latest of those turns that led Naruto into someone else, literally.

Bumping into a bald man, Naruto blinked then he offered the equally surprised man an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that, I wasn't looking where I was going."

Varys looked at Naruto with a barely inclined smile. "You don't need to apologize Ser Naruto. I know all too well how tight these halls can be."

Naruto went to respond but stopped suddenly. His face turned on itself in confusion. "You know who I am?"

The eunuch allowed himself a moment of laughter, a small chuckle if barely. "I don't believe there is a person here that doesn't know you. From the King himself to the kitchen staff, your name is on everyone's tongue. But allow me to introduce myself. My name is Varys."

It was during their handshake that Naruto recognized the man. 'He was standing in the throne room with The Mad King and his council back during the Sack.'

Naruto hid his calculating thoughts behind a bashful smile. "The attention is flattering if not overwhelming. I needed a moment to myself and got lost."

"You wouldn't be the first to lose their way in these halls. Allow me to help you back to the festivities."

* * *

_That Night_

Naruto never returned to the party, not fully at least. When Varys returned him to the festivities, Naruto found the King engaged in a drinking contest of sorts. The star of the party took this as his sign to leave and promptly bolted from the party.

He came across a few admirers and some suspicions from the Lannister City Watch. But in the end, he managed to make it to his room without incident. From there, the young man quickly shed his unnatural layer of clothing before retiring to his bed.

As much as he wanted to, Naruto couldn't say going to the party was totally useless. Seriously, he didn't know Targaryens were still running around, and now Baratheon forces were going to meet them at Dragonstone? 'I thought things were going to get boring with the war over, guess I was wrong.'

Hearing the handle to his door turning, Naruto sat up in his bed. In walked Elia and Naruto thought she might want to talk about the party. That was until he saw the crown of flowers in her hand. "You're not going to make a habit of sneaking into my room late at night, are you? Cause that's going to set a bad example for Rhae."

Elia smiled at Naruto's dumb joke, but only for a moment. She glanced at the roses in her hand for a moment before the conflicted woman broke her silence. "Why?"

Seeing her glance helped Naruto capture the meaning behind her vague question. He figured this wasn't the right time to play dumb. "Why not?" He answered with a question knowing that it'd tick Elia off.

He was right. "You know exactly why not, Naruto! I was married to Rhaegar Targaryen! Your choice has consequences; you have to see that!" Elia was so busy trying to drill self-preservation in Naruto's head that she failed to notice her trembling.

Steady in the face of her shouting, Naruto's blue eyes quietly stared into the anger that Naruto knew came from a place of worry within Elia's heart. "I don't care. There shouldn't be consequences in the first place. Besides, you didn't mind that kind of attention last night when you came to my room."

"That was different, and you know it. It doesn't matter if you think things should be a certain way! Things don't work like that in politics, Naruto! I'll forever have a connection to the Targaryens, and now people will think you do too! Men like Robert Baratheon and Tywin Lannister will burn this world to kill off their enemies." The only reason her tongue-lashing stopped was due to Elia's need to breathe. "That means anyone even remotely connected to the Targaryens!"

Naruto respectfully listened to her every word, but that didn't mean he planned on cowing. "They didn't kill you." He pointed out softly, not frowning or smiling.

"But they tried! I can see it in their eyes, feel it in their words. They all suspect me. They would try it again right now if it weren't for Dorne! You- you don't have that advantage Naruto! Please, I can't lose more. I can't lose you too." Her anger dropped to a whisper that was barely vocal over the huffs straggling from her mouth.

Not even Naruto could stand against two of Westeros' great houses. Elia was painfully aware of that terrifying fact.

Closing his blue eyes, he took a moment to himself before opening his eyes again. Without a word, he stood up and walked towards a tearful Elia. Naruto stopped in front of Elia and stared right at her. His blue eyes reflected the strength in Elia's emotions. "What did they do to you, Elia?"

"What?" The emotional lady found herself caught off guard, which is why she couldn't formulate a more complex response.

"What did this place do to you? How has it hurt you so badly? You're not some contaminated monster, Elia. You aren't guilty or responsible for the things that happened in the Red Keep!" Naruto shook his head resolutely. "What you did was fight to protect your family. You spat in the face of death even when the man who promised to love you left you for another. That's not a monster. That's a hero, Elia."

Reaching down, Naruto gently eased the crown of roses out of the shocked woman's shaking hand. He favored her with a smile that only grew after he placed the laurel on top of her head.

"You asked me why? Why I picked you? How could I not? Elia Martel, you're a beautiful woman, loving mother, caring sister, and the strongest person I've ever met. I'm privileged to know you and honored that you gave a nobody like me a life worth living. If it weren't for you I never would have met Rhae, Oberyn, or Ashara so from the bottom of my heart, thank you for changing my life."

His words came straight from the heart. The smile he had was one that exuded warmth and shone with acceptance. Naruto had turned her tears and made them joyous. What he said were words she ached to hear for the longest time. Elia thought Rhaegar had her heart once upon a time, but never did she feel like she did at this moment.

She didn't have the words to describe how she felt. What she did have were her actions. Elia pulled Naruto down by the back of his head, pushing her lips flush against his. Closing her eyes, she poured as much of herself as possible into that kiss.

A moment behind her, Naruto set his hands on her hips. Naruto meshed his body against hers. Savoring the warmth of her lips on his, Naruto almost followed her head when she pried herself off his lips. Thankfully the reprieve was only for a moment before she leaned in again and caught his lower lip between hers, opening his mouth for their second kiss. They continued this comfortable pattern of on and off kisses that worked their lips overtime and then some.

He wasn't sure when it happened, yet sure enough, sometime during their kissing he turned Elia around and guided her onto the bed. When his mouth separated from Elia's this time, he found himself looking at the woman beneath him. Her long hair splayed out behind her while her head proudly wore flowers made of red and gold. Elia's peaceful expression took his breath away.

While Naruto busied himself admiring her, the Martell Princess reached up to gently stroke his whiskered cheeks. She felt him lean ever so slightly into her hands and smiled. Not asking for permission because their eyes said it all, Elia pulled Naruto's lips back to hers.

That slight pressure of contact left Elia sighing in delight. Naruto savored her exhale much like how he indulged himself on the silky smooth embrace of her lips. However, he wanted more to savor. His tongue pushed into her lips. Elia willingly gave him that passage.

Naruto's tongue darted into the welcoming depths of the Princess' mouth. He instantly locked his tongue up with Elia, taking his time to sample her taste one intimate movement at a time. It started slowly at first. Then Elia started to move her tongue in tandem with Naruto's, flaming excitement on both sides.

Soon Naruto was outright ravaging her mouth, rolling his tongue over any bit of Elia's mouth that he could reach. His enthusiasm earned him a multitude of muffled moans from the beautiful woman. Those quiet, contained sounds threw Naruto's heart to a frenetic tempo.

Although their lungs burned at times, neither of them were willing to separate from the other. It came to the point where one of Elia's hands tucked away in Naruto's wild hair so she could keep his mouth trapped to hers.

She couldn't force Naruto's tongue out of her mouth -not that she wanted to- so she used her mouth to fight back. His tongue was so deep in her mouth that Naruto couldn't do anything but groan when Elia began to suck on his tongue, pulling it with a slight bobbing motion.

That shudder of pleasure from Naruto marked the beginning of a long night of kissing.

**END**

* * *

**Writer's Note II: **Holy sheet boys and girls, writing a joust is by no means easy. I don't know if I'll ever write a second one. That aside, this chapter marks the end of this 'arc.' I hope you enjoyed the Return to King's Landing.

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**Guest Reviews: **The 'Guest' reviews for Chapter Eight were a total circus. It was actually entertaining to read. My favorite was the person who called me a teenager who might come back to my story in years. Oh, and let's not forget the person who said that my story suddenly became too unrealistic to read, a story that is involved in a universe with blood magic and dragons is too _unrealistic_. That was good for a laugh. I read your words even if you are too scared to attach it to a real account. Thanks for the laughs!


	9. Party Done Dornish

**Writer's Note I: **It's been a while. I do feel bad for that large delay, so I thought I'd give a timeline of what I've been up to since my last update to help clear up any questions about my absence.

May: I started working six days a week, eight to nine hours a day.

June/July/August: I keep up the work schedule from May. With travel and getting ready for work, I spend around eleven hours dedicated to working. As you can imagine I didn't have time, energy, or the will to do much of anything.

September: I went out to California for a much-deserved vacation and a cousin's wedding. I didn't have any technology on me but my phone. No laptop.

October: Week one, back home and back to work. Week two, was my birthday week. Weeks three and four in October were taken over by illness.

November: Work back down to five days, same hours. And here I am writing again.

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**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or Game of Thrones.

* * *

_A New Game_

**Chapter Nine: Party Done Dornish**

* * *

**Year 283 AC**

After all of the excitement back in King's Landing, Naruto came back to Earth upon his return to Sunspear. As a matter of fact, the assassin found himself so excited that he tipped his head back and yawned. 'I should have known that old Doran would make me wait on him, pain in my ass. Speaking of my ass, at least the chairs he put in here are comfortable enough to sit on. Maybe I could sneak in a quick nap?'

"I heard from the guards here in Sunspear that Oberyn returned from King's Landing with an injury." A calm voice interjected itself into the silence, reminding Naruto he wasn't alone in the waiting room.

Naruto didn't move out of his slouched position in the red chair, but he did create an image of the speaker. He had met the man plenty of times, and not once did he take it easy. This person was a no-nonsense fellow through and through. His name came off Naruto's lips in the middle of another yawn. "Can we do this another time, Areo? I haven't had the chance to kick back and relax."

The broad-shouldered man with the heavy axe didn't allow Naruto any slack, unsurprisingly. Areo Hotah crossed his arms and let his eyes pierced the laid back Naruto with no shortage of intensity. "I'm afraid not."

The blonde begrudgingly opened one of his eyes and used it to glare pointlessly at the Sunspear guard, groaning as he did. "What do you want me to say? Oberyn got hurt in a joust against Brynden Tully in front of the tourney crowds. It's not like someone tried to assassinate him."

Areo and his white hair shook when the man breathed out a long sigh of exasperation. He knew the youngest of the living Martell siblings to know that Naruto told him the truth. It became terribly difficult to protect the young man when he purposefully put himself on a destructive path. "Great, now we have a Prince of Sunspear laid out with the healers."

Naruto shrugged seamlessly after the man from Norvos complained about Oberyn. Hey, he won the Joust, which meant he earned himself a bunch of gold dragons and a trusty horse. He also opened the floodgate when it came to Elia, and the night they spent after he named her the Queen of Love and Beauty. Naruto enjoyed every moment they spent, but that didn't guarantee anything between the two of them.

'That night was incredible, but where does that leave us? I might be more comfortable if we talked about it, but we haven't talked since leaving King's Landing.' Naruto breathed out a sigh from merely thinking about the web he found himself tangled in. He knew that this might happen, but not due to something like a kiss.

'At least I got the chance to destroy the Mountain.' The dark smirk that enflamed his face gave a glance into the ruthlessness one needed to be an assassin. His thoughts and Areo's attempt to speak further were interrupted by the opening of a door, just not the one they expected.

In came Ashara Dayne, her long hair flowing down her back with her wavy bangs clipped to the hair perfectly parted to the sides of her head. She looked different in emerald as opposed to the typical purple she wore, but the woman's beauty made anything she wore look spectacular. "It's about time that you got back, Naruto. Come with me, won't you?"

"Lady Ashara, Prince Doran, requested that Naruto be here for a meeting after he is done speaking with Princess Elia." Areo ever the loyal man, tried to intervene on behalf of Doran and his desires. Despite his insistence, Naruto did stand up from his seat.

Ashara waved off the man's argument with a disarming smile that Naruto knew too well. "Then there's nothing to worry about, Hotah. We will be around Sandship when Prince Doran is ready for Naruto. Till then, I need the dear assassin for something."

Naruto didn't waste any time in acting. He stepped away from his chair and moved toward Ashara with a smirk on his whiskered face. The Joust winner did stop to shoot Areo a disingenuous apology. "Sorry, but you heard the Lady. It sounds like I have somewhere to be." Barely containing his laughter, Naruto offered Ashara his arm, which she took quickly.

The tail of Ashara's dress provided a lush flurry of fabric as the pair left a stupified man in their aftermath.

They were hardly out of the waiting room before Naruto's well-trained body shook with laughter. Sandship's halls reflected that laughter as man and woman took a casual trip through the Martell seat of power. "You truly are a Goddess, Ashara. Thank you for saving me from that horrible place."

Starfall's former Lady didn't even attempt to stifle the lively smile left by Naruto's knack for dramatics. Naruto may not be Dornish, but he fit in well with the people of the south. "While I'm happy to hear your _heartfelt_ compliments, I didn't rescue you for your sake." She said with a coy hum.

In response, Ashara earned herself a bland glare from the blonde who didn't appreciate the way she worded her statement. Naruto looked at Ashara with his blank stare to force more information, but the woman kept him in suspense. She did so because she knew that she could get away with it, the benefit of friendship.

"Here we are, you go first and act as my shield." The Lady Dayne said with a brush of the arm she untangled from Naruto's. She gestured to a door that Naruto knew.

Naruto didn't need to fabricate anything about what came next. A genuinely happy smile took his face as he pushed the door open. Internally he counted the seconds-

"Naruto, you're back!" The returning blonde didn't even have the chance to finish his thought before a blur of brown launched into his chest. He let out a soft grunt as he took the collision and spun Rhaenys around to her delight.

When the spinning finally stopped, he brought the energetic Princess up higher so that they could talk face to face. Rhaenys showed she wouldn't wait. Her small hands pushed against Naruto's cheeks together. "I missed you a whole bunch!"

Naruto couldn't help but laugh again. His bad mood already a thing of the past, thanks to the girl in his arms. Elia had done her best to teach the fledgling Princess proper speech etiquette, but it didn't quite stick when Rhae got excited. Naruto brought Rhae into a hug, which she happily melted into, sighing contently. "Sorry, Rhae, but I had to keep your Mom safe."

Rhaenys managed a nod before she slunk back to look at Naruto with her big, brown eyes. The glimmer of excitement possessed a shred of expectation as well. "Do you bring me anything?"

Nervous all of a sudden, Naruto didn't know that he had to bring a present back to her. He couldn't say to her, which meant he needed to come up with something quick. "Uhh... I have a new horse that I got from King's Landing. We can take it for a ride later; how's that sound?"

Lucky for Naruto, Rhaenys had an interest in horses. It didn't reach the level of her fascination with dragons, but it did enough to keep Naruto out of hot water with his favorite little Lady. "Can Arianne come with us!?"

"Sure, she can! Arianne is always welcome!"

"Oh~ Can I come too?" Ashara's feathery-soft voice trickled into the conversation. Ignoring the natural suggestive cadence in her voice, Naruto also found her amethyst eyes alive with the same type of feelings.

Rhaneys spared Naruto from having to combat his mischievous friend in wordplay by adding her piece and a pout. "No fair, Lady Ashara, I asked Naruto first!"

Cackling to himself, Naruto sent Ashara a smug look that earned him a huff of retaliation. He took his unknowing accomplice and set her in his lap as he sat on the edge of Rhaenys' bed. "What do you want to do now that I'm back, huh Rhae?"

The Martell Princess' braided brown locks slid on her shoulder as she puckered her lips in thought. An idea struck her, one that brought a bright smile to Rhaenys' face. "Oh! Tell me a story about your trip!"

Naruto felt the bed next to him shift before Ashara's shoulder bumped into his playfully. Her smile wore a similar intent to that of Rhaenys, who =looked at him hopefully. "Yes, tell us a story, Naruto."

He fought the urge to roll his eyes at Ashara, who'd been very playful during his first time seeing her again. That said, Naruto had to smile at the feeling of being among friends. "Fine, let me tell you about this one food cart I came across in King's Landing. Poor guy couldn't catch a break with his cabbages."

* * *

Elia walked into Rhaenys' room with the plan of asking her child where Naruto was. What the first-born daughter of Ellavia Dorne walked into was laughter. Naruto, her daughter, and her best friend were all laughing at something the blonde said. The familial sound of laughter made Eila smile softly, though Naruto got a special look, one that even he didn't see.

Announcing herself by clearing her throat, the former wife of Rhaegar Targaryen drew all six eyes in the room to her. She tapped her fingers against the back of her opposite hand as she looked out at the trio. "What do we have here?"

The lofty smile on Rhaenys' face got turned to her mother, a visual that warmed her parent's heart. "Naruto was telling us stories, Momma!"

"That is very nice of him, my dear. Maybe he can tell you more stories later, but right now I need Naruto to come with me, and talk to your Uncle." Elia explained the situation to her daughter, who wasn't keen on getting up.

While the mother tried to convince the daughter that there'd be time for stories later, Naruto made a face at the thought of going to speak with Dorne's incredibly uptight leader. Ashara, who sat next to him, had a good laugh at his expense. She even whispered something into his ear, which made Naruto sink further into his misery.

"Okay, Naruto, you can go with Momma, but you have to get my favorite food!"

Naruto blinked, looking down at a grinning Rhaenys with a lifted eyebrow. He wondered what he missed to make little Rhae so excited as she jumped out of his lap. The blonde-haired man didn't mind the demand because he enjoyed spending time with the young girl he saved in the Red Keep. "You got it, Rhae."

Standing up, Naruto started to make his way towards where Elia waited for him. He vaguely heard Ashara asking Rhaenys if she could come with Rhaneys on her date. The small joke went over the five-year-old's head, which made him laugh, and Elia smile. Coming to a stop next to Elia, he tried to smile at her. He hoped that it came unaffected by his unsure thoughts of her. "Ready to go?"

Some of the weight on his shoulders went away with Elia's choice to link arms with him. Her gracious smile never far from her face seemingly. "Yes, I am." Letting him lead them out, Elia and Naruto took their leave from a chattering Rhaenys and the smiling Ashara.

Naruto thought that walking in silence would have been easier, but man was it awkward. It took his assassin training to stop himself from stealing glances at the woman on his right arm. He was ready to settle for silence when his companion spoke. "I've been thinking..."

He fought back the urge to tense up at the implications behind Elia's statement. Keeping his eyes up front, Naruto gave her a response. "Yeah? What were you thinking about?"

Elia saw through his attempt to play it cool and sent him a smile tinged with happiness and amusement. The gracious air of a princess remained, no matter how personal things _could_ get. "About what you and I did that last night at King's Landing."

"What about it?" Naruto decided to play it smart and keep his thoughts to himself until Elia said something resembling a stance on their heated night in the Crownlands.

The assassin wasn't in luck. The Lady Martell turned her warm, brown eyes onto him. "How do you feel about what happened, Naruto?" On the spot questions lent to honesty, exactly what Elia wanted.

"I was glad. No, I was happy, but what happens now?" Some of the confidence in him went away due to Elia not speaking to him after the night in mention. That lack of communication left Naruto wondering where they stood with each other.

Elia purposefully slowed their stride to create more time to talk. "I've been thinking about the same thing. It's all I can think about." She fell silent, biting on her lower lip in thought. "Naruto, I..."

"We don't have to talk about this right now, Elia."

Frowning deeply enough to put a crease in her brow, Elia quickly and emphatically stepped in front of Naruto. Before he could get any ideas, she grabbed his shoulders, and she made him look at her. "Listen to me, Naruto, and look at me."

In and out through the nose, the cornered assassin took a breath before his blue eyes locked up with the Princess. He took his time, nodding his head, telling her that he was ready to listen.

Elia smiled at her friend while her heart started to pick up the pace. For a moment, Naruto's face became wavy, but a quick blink and things were back to normal. "Naruto, when I came to see you that night, I wanted to create space between us. I was afraid of what might happen to you because of me. My fear it-"

The Dornishwoman interrupted herself when she shook off that line of thought. When she opened her calming brown eyes again, she did so while smiling sincerely at the man beneath her hands. "What you said to me, it stunned me. You were honest, you spoke with your heart, and I needed to listen. How could I not listen to someone as strong as you?"

Her sincerity and beautiful smile momentarily stunned Naruto into silence. Once he did come to, the young man nearly burned red. To fight his blush, he turned to a time-tested tactic. Self-depreciation

"I don't know. It probably helps that I spit plenty of hot air."

Elia didn't believe Naruto to be as air-headed as he claimed, but she did smile at him. "You allow your sense of right and wrong to lead you, where most men think with ideas of power and prestige in mind. You saved our lives and freed us from that nest of vipers. I have my family again. I have justice for my son and a new life for my daughter. Naruto, you have done so many things for us without complaint or reward. Before, I asked myself why you would do so much for so little. And after months of being by your side, I have an answer."

Naruto didn't know what to say. No one had ever said something so glowingly positive about him before. This new experience made even his two-word response difficult to form. "You do?"

"Yes, I do. People will know you for your skills after what happened in King's Landing, but I know better. You aren't a better man because you are a devastating warrior, my friend. It is your brilliant character that sets you above the rest. You are better because you lead with compassion and the will to do what is necessary, even though some might not like it, myself included." And her brown eyes shone with nothing, but the earnest belief in her praise for him.

Scratching the back of his head with his pointer finger, Naruto tried to mask his emotions with a clumsy attempt at deflecting Elia's words. "I'm not as perfect as you might see me."

She giggled at his plight, her hands gently squeezing at the top of Naruto's shoulders. "No, you're not perfect. I don't need you to be perfect. Being around you is enough to make me laugh and smile. This not-perfect you is the person Rhae loves seeing. Naruto, you showed me that it's okay to move on, that the past doesn't define me."

"Elia, what are you saying?"

"Here, let me show you." Standing up on her toes to reach further, Elia placed a gentle kiss on Naruto's lips. The two stood that way for a long moment before Elia pulled away. "I'm... not ready to go into another relationship Naruto, not so soon. I know it's selfish, but will you wait for me?"

Silence

He didn't know what to say, so he settled for staring at her face. What he saw was a building lack of certainty that built as he kept silent. Grabbing onto her back, Naruto pulled her into a warm embrace that sucked all the doubt away. 'This actually works for me since I planned on taking a trip out of Dorne soon.'

"You take all the time you need." He murmured into the head of brown locks that his face got tucked against by way of the embrace. Naruto felt her body squeezing him, and then she stepped back with a smile.

"We should go in now, Doran doesn't like to be kept waiting."

"Oh yes, him. That guy is a stick in the mud and has a stick up his-"

"Naruto!" Elia scolded Naruto with a light slap to the chest that made the man roll his eyes. She ignored the petulant look and pulled him into the room where her Lord brother sat on his regal chair.

Elia might have performed a curtsy as political decorum dictated, but Naruto didn't possess the same etiquette. The assassin silently and defiantly crossed his arms as he stared at Doran. If he didn't bow to Robert Baratheon, then he wouldn't bow to Doran Martell.

And anyone that tried to make him were liable to lose a finger.

"My brother and sister have told me that you have done something of the highest importance for our family." Naruto snuck a sideways glance at the woman standing next to him. He quickly righted his attention at the stoic man in the chair. "You killed the Mountain, the beast responsible for the death of my sister's child, and you did it with the world watching. Now that the crimes of the Lannister have come to light, it will only be a matter of time before their golden world crumbles."

'Interesting, Oberyn and Elia didn't tell him about my Chakra. I wonder why that is?' As Naruto tried to pick apart any potential reasoning for this, Doran continued to monologue his joy over the misfortunes of the rival Westeros family.

The only reason Naruto heard what came next was due to the elbow of Elia Martell.

"As such, I deem it important to pay our debt to you by giving you something of value." Curious to where this led, Naruto took a moment to meet the Lord of Sunspear's gaze. "I wish to make you a Lord here in Dorne."

Naruto took a step back, visibly startled by the idea of him transcending the station he knew since his birth. He had no idea what being a Lord meant or how to do it. "I don't think that's a good idea. I don't know how to lead a small group, let alone an entire town or village. The people _would_ suffer under my guidance."

Elia wanted to disagree with him, but she didn't know if Naruto had the skill to lead large groups of people. What she could do is trust her friend when he said that his being Lord was a bad thing. Turning to her brother, she silently waited for his pitch.

Doran told her what he planned on offering Naruto, and she told her brother that he was on his own in his efforts to convince her friend.

"Then, you will be pleased to hear that I want you to accept the Water Gardens as yours." Doran's tone oozed with self-satisfaction as he stared down a genuinely surprised assailant.

Naruto's deep, blue eyes narrowed at the man in the pierced chair. Doran may as well have spoken a different language with how Naruto reacted to the words out of his mouth. "That's a very valuable piece of land, from what I've heard around Sunspear."

For the first time since they met each other, something Naruto said made Doran smile. "I'm glad you agree, Naruto. A piece of land isn't anything compared to what you've done for Elia, but it's the best I can give you. Under the watchful eye of the Father and with the guiding hand of the Mother, I name you Naruto, Lord of The Water Gardens!"

The new Lord paused for a moment then looked around the room. "I don't feel any different, being a Lord and all."

Elia let out a soft chuckle. She really should've expected something like that from the man next to her. "Most of them change when they get their new, fancy clothes."

"Yeah, they might be light, but those clothes are too baggy for my tastes. I'll pass on that one." Naruto responded with a flippant wave of his hand, further amusing Elia.

"Are you two done? There is one more thing that I need to announce. Next month, Dorne will throw a party here in Sunspear to celebrate the Mountain Slayer!"

'Oh for the love of-'

* * *

A reluctant Naruto found himself two weeks out from the party and feast planned for him. Already dreading the very noble-like festivity, he tried to distract himself by constantly being on the move. This way, he had something to think about at all times.

"Naruto, my friend, you think too much! You have to live a little! Why don't you and I take a little trip down to my favorite place in the city?"

"And you let your mouth run too much. You think you'd learn after being stuck in this bed for so long." Naruto fired right back at Oberyn, ignoring the lively man's lopsided grin.

Despite still sporting the badge of honor from Brynden Tully, Oberyn still had enough in him to writhe as laughter spilled from his lips. "What's the point of living if you ain't having fun? I'll have you know this mouth has brought me more than my fair share of ladies!"

Naruto openly slapped his palm against his forehead, a small print of red tainting his skin for a moment prior to fading away. "I _**really **_don't want to hear what you do with your favorite spear."

The unapologetic laughter of the Dornish Prince rattled the small room inside of Sandship. If not for the milk of the poppy, his shoulder would be on fire from all the jostling. "Don't be so quick to judge me. I'm sure that we can find a whole horde of women ready to share a bed with the Mountain Slayer! Perhaps at this bash, we're hosting in your honor?"

"Oberyn..." Naruto's mumble went ignored as the promiscuously vivid imagination of his best friend started to run free.

"We'd need a distraction for my sister, but I'm sure I could rope her into some family-based, drinking shenanigans!"

Breathing out through his nose, Naruto gave his friend one more chance to behave. "If you don't shut up right now, I'll flip this bed over and drop you on your head."

Oberyn's small hairs stood up on the back of his neck. "Now, let's not do anything rash! You wouldn't hurt an injured man, right?"

"You're tough. I think you could take it, a bum shoulder or not." The whiskered assassin's smile made it difficult for Oberyn to discern the blonde's actual intent.

The young Prince chuckled nervously and melted into the comforting surface of his bed. Kicking his feet up on the footboard, he crossed his arms behind his head. "So... what brings you to me? Huh, Naruto?" The bed's softness forced his dark eyes to close slowly.

Putting his elbows on top of his thighs, Naruto gazed out the window in Oberyn's room. He could vaguely make out the swelling foam waves of where Westeros and Essos met out in the sea. "I wanted to ask you about your meeting with your brother."

"Doran? Why, did he piss you off again?"

"No, not this time. How come you and Elia didn't tell Doran about my Chakra?"

Any leftover amusement on Oberyn's face sobered very quickly. His dark eyes flicked open and glued themselves on Naruto, who still looked whimsically out the window. "It was Elia's idea."

That got Naruto's attention off the landscape. "Elia? Really?"

"Yes, she wanted to protect you," Oberyn grunted in response, not looking forward to the scolding he'd get from Elia for this. "She felt that if Doran knew about your _abilities_ that he'd do something drastic. I agreed with her, and we made a pact to keep our dear brother out of the loop."

"Protect me? That's rich." If the idea had been anyone but Elia's, then he'd laugh the idea right out of the room. Naruto hadn't needed anyone's protection in a very long time.

Sitting up, The Red Viper felt the pain-numbing treatment starting to fade. "I thought the same, but you know how she can get. If she has an idea, she will stick to it."

'Especially when it's someone she cares for.' Oberyn wisely kept that last line to himself.

Naruto let out a hefty sigh. He pushed up and out of his seat to a standing position, which let him stretch out his back. "Ain't that the truth? Well, thanks for the talk, I'm going to get out of here."

"Wait! I snuck some Dornish Red Wine last night. What do you think about a drink while we watch Areo train the men? If I can't fight, then I might as well watch people get their asses kicked."

"Ah, what the hell, I could go for a good drink."

"You're talking my language, Naruto."

* * *

_Sunspear, Naruto's Party_

Naruto had never had the privilege of seeing a southern party. Now that he did, he had to respect the staying power of their celebrations. This party, his party, started hours ago with Doran doing a speech, and hours later, not a soul had left. Energetic music and sour wine flowed in tandem as men and women alike enjoyed themselves.

Lounging back against a railing, he took a survey of the party itself. Tables dripping with green cloth were all over, lined with fantastic foods and complimentary drinks, mostly alcoholic ones. Canopies with webs of green, orange, and white lights set the atmosphere for the party. In spots like the one Naruto retreated to the lights loomed like a swarm of fireflies.

He brought a golden goblet filled with the sought after Red Wine of the south to his lips. The wine's taste left Naruto with a satisfied sigh as he stayed back to watch the various people that answered Doran's call to party. There were plenty of small-time Lords and Ladies flocking around the premise, too many for Naruto to count.

'I guess, technically, I'm one of them now.' Naruto looked down at himself with that wry thought floating through his head. Both Ashara and Elia were adamant about making sure he procured a new wardrobe befitting the situation, much to his chagrin. Cutting open a blood orange, Naruto let its sweet taste drench his mouth.

As he enjoyed the region-specific fruit, Naruto watched on with idle interest as one man in particular swaggered throughout the party. Dancing with one woman only to twirl her off to someone else so he could move on to charm the next in line, Oberyn transitioned from dame to woman with the grace of a pit fighter. And when he didn't have a woman in hand, his hands were filled with drink.

'I wonder how many husbands Oberyn has made enemies of?' Naruto asked himself with a snort. The blonde leaned on in and tore into the good bits of the orange with his teeth. Together, the sweet flavor of the blood orange and the sour tang of the Dornish reds made for a welcoming taste on his tongue.

"It looks like my brother is enjoying himself." Naruto looked to the side at Elia, who just joined him off to the side. She wore a shoulderless blue dress with her long hair done into one elegant ponytail that she threw over her left shoulder. Her hair was kept down beneath a hairband. The accessory inlaid with emeralds left a gentle glow in her dark locks when the light past over her. She looked stunning as usual. "Honestly, I wish he would practice moderation occasionally."

The man of the hour let out a snort at the thought of his friend being anything but wild. Offering Elia the cup of wine in his hand, he smirked. "Normally, I'd agree with you, but I think one Doran is enough for me. I'd take the party animal Oberyn over a bore."

Elia surprised Naruto when she took his cup and emptied it of the wine she knew all too well with a single, ravenous gulp. Wiping the corner of her lips with her thumb, she set the cup back in Naruto's hand. "You're right; this is a party, not a council meeting."

"Who are you, and what have you done with the modest Elia?"

Said woman breathed out a delighted chain of laughter that went well with the atmosphere of the party. Elia looked through her darkened eyelashes at Naruto with a coy gleam about her. "Me? Whatever do you mean, Naruto?"

"Never mind, I must be seeing things," Naruto said with a shake of his head, playing along with his friend's act. He looked down into his empty cup. Laughing, he smiled at his companion. "I'll be right back. I'm going to grab another drink."

Naruto almost stepped away when the music slowed down, a tribute to the Dorne of old. A smile bloomed across Elia's face as her plan slowly fell into place. Her trip to the musicians paid dividends. Now, all she had to do was convince Naruto to dance.

Grabbing onto his wrist before he could scuttle off, Elia leveled Naruto with her best yearning look. "Forget about the wine, Naruto. Come dance with me instead." Though the whole thing rested in his hands, Elia couldn't help but feel hopeful.

Her hopes got realized when Naruto placed the empty cup on a nearby railing. He shifted his blue gaze toward her and nodded his head with a smile. "Let's do it."

Elia stifled her giggle of joy as she ushered Naruto to the dancing area, her long dress fluttering with the speed of her steps. There were a few whispers from some of the party patrons, but Naruto and Elia paid them no heed. Soon enough, they were among the pairings of people dancing to the music.

Swaying more than dancing, Naruto stole a glance at the other pairs that executed a more dance-like style that swished and swayed their loose clothing like a mural of swirling colors. He looked down at Elia, who swayed with him and smiled apologetically. "Sorry that I don't know the steps."

The heels that Elia wore to the party alleviated most of the height difference between her and Naruto. Hands on his shoulders, like how his laid on her waist, the Martell smiled at his consideration for her. "It's okay, Naruto, this is enough for me."

The two stayed in companionable silence as their bodies moved in unison to the comforting whisper of the low tune of the chorus' melody. As more steps passed, the closer their bodies became. They started looking more and more like the intimate twosomes around the dancing space.

Where Elia had the practice to help her through the dance, Naruto needed his quick reaction time and agile feet to match his dancing partner. The end result created an unlikely but perfect routine. From the corner of his eye, Naruto saw what the other men did for the partners. He figured why not try it for himself.

His larger hand took her hand so that he might lift it above her head. Elia's eyes lit up with recognition and excitement moments before Naruto began to twirl her as the dance required. Twice around, she went, the end of her dress flared out around her like the petals of the bellflower. When the time came, Naruto did not hesitate to pull her right into his chest. Elia grasped the middle of Naruto's back as their bodies melded together. Memories of the night in King's Landing came back to her. That, with the warmth of Naruto's breath intertwining with hers, had Elia ready to lean in and kiss him.

And she would have done just that if not for the sudden sound of applause. The clapping for those dancing snapped her away from the desirous effect of her instincts. As the faster-paced music started to come back, so did more willing dancers. Elia took a step back with a minor blush.

Elia's choice to step back spared her a great deal of grief because Ashara strolled up to her two friends, unaware of what almost unfolded. "I hope you don't mind if I steal our shared friend's next dance, Elia?"

"Yes, I mean, no! Go right ahead, Ashara. I should make sure that Oberyn eats something before he dies from alcohol poisoning. Thank you for the dance, Naruto."

It wasn't until Elia left that Naruto properly turned his focus to the purple-eyed beauty from the Dayne family. Her dress tied up against the back of her neck set her black dress against her flawless starlit skin. A modest amount of skin showed, including her cleavage and the thigh that occasionally parted the fabric of her dress. No matter what tantalizing peek she offered, Ashara's clothing was tasteful.

"You've been looking at me for an awfully long time~ Do I look _that_ good?" Naruto ignored how good Ashara looked in her dark threads. He paid no mind to the silky temptation of her suggestive voice.

What he did was look up into her brilliant purple eyes. Perhaps if he ignored the leading question, she'd also drop it? It was worth the shot. "Any chance I can get this dance off? My feet are pretty sore."

Ashara's cocked hip got laced with a perfectly painted set of dark purple fingernails. "I'm walking around in forsaken heels, and you're the one complaining? Man up!" Both of them knew this was in good fun, hence their smirks.

"Fine, you win this one. I'll warn you like I did Elia, I don't know any dances or steps, assassin and all that." Naruto used his pre-made excuse with no shame whatsoever.

_"Oh Naruto, I always win~" _

Stepping into Naruto, Ashara stopped an arm's length from the blonde. Her nimble fingers wandered back and forth over where the collar of his shirt gave way to the warmth of his tanned skin. Graciously prowling around him, she ran her finger from one shoulder to the other. "You're in luck this time, Naruto. This dance is one where the woman does the heavy work, like usual~"

Like all the other women dancing, Lady Dayne stepped in front of Naruto. Her body rolled through an elegantly woven combination of emphatic steps that told the story of a woman full of life. By the time she finished her controlled frenzy of dance steps, Naruto got caught up in watching her move so much that he almost missed the signal of her holding her hand up.

He caught what the others did in his peripheral and moved to do the same. Naruto took Ashara's hand in his own. He leaned bent at the waist to put a courteous kiss on the back of her hand. As he did, Naruto's ears picked up her guiding words. "When I try to walk away, pull me back into you."

Naruto offered an imperceptible nod. When Ashara tried to walk away from him, the whiskered man waited until their arms were stretched out as far as possible before he reeled her back in. Her back barely collided with Naruto's strong chest before her hands laid on the top of his hands.

"When I swim my body to the left, you go right. When I go right, you go left." Ashara's hands didn't fully eclipse Naruto's, but that didn't stop her from moving them wildly over her stomach. Moments later, she began to move left, prompting him to move right, their eyes always locking at the end of the choreographed movements.

Naruto and Ashara weren't the only ones to show an exchange of intimacy and passion. Everyone dancing to the music did the same, but Elia didn't focus on everyone else. She only had eyes for her two friends. In particular, she found herself honing in on Ashara and the intent in her happy, purple eyes.

She knew that look well.

It was one she wore when looking at their mutual friend.

'I need to talk with Ashara about this before it becomes something we can't fix.'

Back in the dance, every pair separated by ten steps like some form of a tense standoff. This planned portion of the dance ended when the ladies ran at their partners. Naruto caught Ashara by the waist as expected. He went to lift her into the air when something made the trained killer hesitate. It sounded like a bowstring releasing. His instincts forced Naruto to spin them around.

"Naruto?" His rash actions seemed unwarranted; they ruined an otherwise perfect dance. Any thought of a similar vein stood abandoned when a gleam caught her eye. She never imagined that she'd find a bloody arrowhead sticking through Naruto's chest with a circle of crimson spreading through his loose, white dress top. "Naruto!"

Hissing at the pain from being punctured, Naruto saw a man slowly ripping himself out of his top to reveal a rugged, tattoo-heavy body. He didn't have time to complain about his lack of weaponry. "Ashara, get behind me and rip the arrow out."

"W-What are you talking about?"

"Do it now!"

Ashara, to her credit, did not hesitate a second time. Hurrying to Naruto's back, she did her best to ignore the blood on her hand after she took the arrow's crimson tinted shaft. Ashara squeezed her eyes tight and pulled as hard as she could. The wet squelch, along with Naruto's grunt, made her flinch.

Arrow-free and leaking blood, the wounded assassin got hold of the arrow plucked from him. Unfortunately, one of the party crashers already found his way to them. And worse than that, the man's sword soared toward Naruto's neck. 'Shit, can't dodge it, or else Ashara will get hurt!'

He quickly loaded his free hand up with Chakra, which let him catch the blade. The wicked steel still cut a clean line from the webbing down to the bottom of his palm. However, the Chakra stopped him from losing the hand totally.

The attacker and Ashara both looked at the grimacing blonde in disbelief. Naruto used that shock to his advantage when he reversed his grip on the arrow, using it as a makeshift dagger that he buried ruthlessly in the man's throat.

Whoever the man was, his eyes expanded further as panic closed around him. He staggered back with his hands hopelessly clenching at the squirting wound left behind by Naruto. The primal fear of death only intensified when he looked into the blank eyes of the cold-blooded killer that was Naruto.

Taking a moment to look at the chaos unfolding around him, the first people he found were Oberyn and Elia. He couldn't be more thankful that Elia had Oberyn by her side. Even an injured Red Viper had fangs as showcased by the dead man in front of him.

Not everyone was so lucky. A tragically large number of the partygoers laid dead in pools of their blood. One of the people he recognized was Lord Uller. The silver lining -if it could be called such- came at the hands of the Sunspear guard who killed the aggressors in short order.

"Naruto..."

Adrenaline fading away, the humming-like sensation inside of him went silent. His fingers straightened out, leaving the arrow to fall from his grip. Before it hit the ground, he had eyes on a shellshocked Ashara. "Hey, look at me, I'm okay."

"You're okay..." She took one more look at his chest to make sure. When he didn't fall over dead, she smiled. The tears were already spilling over her makeup as she latched onto Naruto, face hidden against his clean shoulder. "Yeah, you're okay." She muttered shakily.

Naruto tried to hide the wince that came from moving his injured hand. For now, he kept his hand balled up tightly for pressure. He could get the injury properly cleaned up after he helped Ashara with what he assumed to be her first near-death experience.

No surprise that Doran was the first to react, the good times of the party already forgotten. "How in the fuck did this happen? Who's responsible for this!?"

Oberyn leaned down upon catching a glimmer of metal in the dead man's vest. Pulling out a small coin, he looked at the token with a grim expression. "I don't know how, but I have a good idea about who."

Doran came over to his brother, where his frown only got deeper. Pinching his nose, he somehow fit the words _of course_ between an array of different curses.

With Elia and Ashara consoling the other, Naruto found the freedom to join the two brothers. He took a glance at the coin Oberyn had in his palm. It looked like a variety of snake to the blonde. "What's that?"

"I'm not surprised you don't know. This little trinket here is the mark of a Bandit Lord." Oberyn said with a disgusted shake of his head when he saw how many dead innocents laid on the ground.

"Bandit Lord? What kind of stupid, self-aggrandizing title is that?" The injured blonde asked, ignoring the blood dripping down his wrist and inner forearm.

Wringing his hands together anxiously, Doran found it difficult to stay calm after such a brazen attempt on his people. "If only it were that simple. The Bandit Lords are different groups of Marauders who roam the northern half of Dorne."

Naruto had no idea such a group or groups existed. "Why don't you drive them out or kill them? Surely, they can't match your forces."

"Apart from throwing Dorne into a civil war, this is the first time a Bandit Lord has done anything outside the Dornish Marches. We never had reason to bother with them, not when we had more pressing issues, like Robert's Rebellion and the Lannisters." Doran had someone to actively dislike more than the unruly Naruto, and it showed.

"Speaking of the Golden Pussies, how do we know this isn't their handy work?" The Red Viper asked, throwing in a kick directed at the man he killed when this popped off.

"Who knows? These fools attacked so many people it's impossible to discern their true targets." Doran took a deep breath to help focus himself. Making an impulsive choice based on emotion wouldn't help anyone. "Oberyn, I want you and Naruto to gather everyone here and bring them to Sandship. Areo and I will increase security around Sunspear. No one is to leave Sandship until we have things under control again."

At least Oberyn had the courtesy for his Lord brother to hold his groan until he and a small attachment of the guard were gone. "What a terrible way to end a night of partying."

Naruto looked at the death all around him. The sight alone made the assassin's face sink to a frown. "Is this my fault?" He was the one to kick the viper nest. Something like this couldn't be a coincidence. He knew better than that.

"Hey, don't think like that! Everyone here has enemies willing to have them killed. No one at this party is to blame for the bloodshed tonight." Oberyn squeezed Naruto's shoulder. Now that some time passed, he could comprehend how much blood his friend had on him. "Are you alright?"

Naruto grunted irritably. "Besides being annoyed that I didn't see this coming? Yeah, I got these protecting Ashara from our uninvited guests. Caught a blade for her, literally."

"Did you use-"

"My Chakra? Yup."

"Did she see it?"

"Probably," Naruto said with a quick glance at his bleeding hand.

Oberyn felt like downing a whole pitcher of the darkest wine he could find. "Wonderful, come on, we might as well enjoy our lockdown."

**END**

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**Writer's Note II: **If you have any story related questions from the last chapter I missed, then do send a PM. Hope to see you in the reviews!


	10. Stormborn

**Writer's Note I:** Hello everyone, I wanted to get this chapter out on December 25th, like it was a Christmas present, but holiday times are too chaotic. Speaking of which, I hope you all had a good holiday, whichever one you choose to celebrate. So I did the next best thing and got it out for New Years. It's thematic with where we are in the story. I hope you all enjoy, and welcome to 2020!

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**Disclaimer: **It's been some time, but I still don't own anything about these two fantastic properties. I'd sit here and say that I can dream, but I feel it's more likely I am hit by a meteor at this point.

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_A New Game_

**Chapter Ten: Stormborn**

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**Year 283 AC**

Duskendale sat on Blackwater Bay literally. The entire city warped to the geography of the bay, designed around the geographic curl of the harbor. King's Landing remained the largest port city in the Crownlands, but Naruto preferred Duskendale over King's Landing because Duskendale didn't smell like shit. The clean air that filled his lungs and the consistent sounds of the sea helped Naruto keep himself centered and his mind clear of unnecessary things.

Sitting on a sept's downward sloping spire, Naruto looked out at Duskendale with a smile warming his face. Light started breaking through the clouds, the sun's warm presence filtered through the pearl-glass windows of the other septs in Duskendale, making the city light up with a natural radiance. Another thing Naruto couldn't get in the Crownlands' great city, not with the Red Keep dominating everything.

Naruto knew not everyone saw things the way he did, and that was a shame. So many people get stuck to the ground, stuck to their lives, and can't see the world around them. Maybe they weren't looking, or perhaps they couldn't see. The result was the same in both instances. "I can't imagine so many people going to a sept service in Dorne. The people are too busy being hungover in the mornings."

It started as a wry smirk and evolved into full-blown laughter when he put those words through the wringer of his imagination. He couldn't even begin to imagine a crooked Oberyn stumbling into a sept, the scent of alcohol and sex clinging to him. Oberyn's head would be set straight by Elia, no doubt.

Thinking about the Viper Princess left Naruto cringing like someone who got bitten by a snake. He reacted in such a way because of how he chose to leave Sunspear, a poor choice in hindsight. "I have to hope that Elia won't skin me for leaving her with a note. I also need to bring back a present for Rhae, or she won't speak to me." Daughter like mother in that regard.

Naruto put those thoughts in the back of his mind for now. His weight carried him down to the precipice of the roof after jumping to his feet. "These are things I can worry about _after_ I've done what I came here to do." Being one who worked by himself, Naruto often found himself talking to himself. People probably thought he was insane. He blamed his teacher for that particular quirk.

He looked at the tendrils of darkness encroaching on his flanks, a difference in the light created by the sturdy Dun Fort at his back. Luckily for the fort, Naruto had no interest in what was inside of it. His wants took him away from the land to the sea. That's why he needed to find himself a boat of some kind. "If I wanted to get a boat with no questions asked, where do I go?"

A few moments passed, then a spark of realization jolted through the young man's cerulean pools. Slapping his fist into an open palm, he looked to the west with a smirk. "I think there are a few gambling dens by the docks. I'm sure I can swindle something of use down there."

Stepping off the sept's hallowed roof, the blonde-haired man dropped like a stone. Small wisps of blue circulated his fingertips as he reached to his left. Naruto grasped the massive ledge beneath the crystal glass window with his Chakra strengthened grip. Letting himself dangle, he swung himself back and forth. Once his feet hit the sept's stone structure, he pushed Chakra to his feet hence sticking himself to the building.

Naruto stood against gravity casually for a handful of seconds. The muscles beneath his pants slowly prepared for what came next. A light blue ring pulsated around his feet, and off Naruto went. He shot through the air high enough to be out of sight when it came to the people walking Duskendale's streets.

His slow loss of altitude proved that Naruto wasn't flying, but it did what he wants it to do. After covering a decent chunk of the traveling distance, Naruto skipped off a roof and went feet first into a stack of hay next to a stable housing a herd of six goats. The pile of golden straw shuddered before Naruto's head forced itself out.

It didn't take Naruto long to emerge from the pile of hay. He swept the farming essential from his golden mane while the grouping of animals kept their chattering sounds. "That definitely wasn't my smoothest move, but it worked." He'd work on his landings later when he didn't have a set idea in mind. For now, he had a boat to track down.

Stepping out into the main walkways of Duskendale with the grace of someone who didn't crash land, Naruto quickly integrated himself with the men and women moving throughout the common area. His burning, dark orange, and muted gold threads drew some attention, but nothing more than a precursory glance from interested parties.

Fortunately, with the end of the year quickly approaching, all sorts of people were out and about preparing for parties and such. This fluid string of festive feelings made it easy for a skilled infiltrator like Naruto to blend in. 'Only one place should smell like booze this early in the morning, a place where people waste money and spill alcohol.'

Following that thought process, Naruto trailed after the faint hint of alcohol that got blown at him thanks to the light ocean winds. He used that stimulus of his senses as the guide to help him navigate an unknown location. Naruto didn't need long to find one of the establishments on his mind.

He went to enter the gambling den when the man posted outside of the building halted him by shoving him back. Gathering his feet, Naruto didn't even lose balance as he stared at the man placidly. "Excuse me?"

"Git out of here; you ain't welcomed, _boy_." The man's tone was inherently vulgar. It nearly offended Naruto more than the shove itself. "I've had enough of you dumb shits. Get out of here before I mess up your face, _pretty boy_."

Naruto rolled his blue eyes, blue, not green. Uneducated and filled with blind hatred, the assassin already found this man wanting. Naruto was the standard-bearer for opposing Lannisters. That did not equate to making an enemy of every blonde person he met. He'd save that for fools like the one standing in front of him.

"Listen, I've had a good morning, so I'll ask nicely. Please move out of my way, or else."

The challenge in his request triggered the man and his malicious smile. "Or else what?" He asked as a small whistle flooded through the slight gap between his front teeth.

"This..." The thug understood what came next, but he couldn't get to his weapon fast enough to stop Naruto. His blonde hair was a blur in the side of the man's eyes before a vein of pain crashed on the man. That pain can find its trace back to Naruto's glowing blue hand, specifically the back of his hand.

Naruto knocked the man unconscious before he even rolled back around to land on his head. Glancing back, Naruto smirked at the red mark burned onto the man's already scarred cheek. "And a good morning to you too." The assassin said quietly as the people whispered, and street urchins rushed over to take the money that spilled from the man's pockets.

Leaving no concern for the man out on the road, a chuckling Naruto moved into the quiet gambling den. There weren't that many people in the establishment. Naruto was free to go for the bar of the building because of this. Ringing the small bell, the blue-eyed traveler tried to summon some service.

He felt the eyes on his back but ignored them in favor of looking ahead at the options lined up on the bar's shelves. A shimmer on top of a black bottle had Naruto glancing to his left. Duskendale's visitor discovered someone courageous enough to sit on the stool next to him.

It was a man wearing a confident smirk on his tan face. Taken aback momentarily by the lopsided mohawk that covered only the left side of the man's head, Naruto blinked hesitantly. "Do you need a drink too?"

His unnamed companion looked at Naruto for a second of silence before bursting into raspy laughter. The stranger's body shook, causing his scarred fingers and damaged knuckles to strike the bar's countertop. "Aye, that's rich, sunshine! There aren't any bar keeps on duty at this time of the day!"

Naruto let his confusion filter to the expression on his face. Why would there ever be a bar that didn't have someone watching over it? "Isn't that a terrible, stupid idea?"

Spinning in his seat, the man in the know braced himself against the bar so that he could purposefully stare at a certain man waiting in the shadows of the den. Naruto found the man easy enough. How could he overlook someone comparable in size to the Mountain?

"You see the lug with the big belly? He and his brother are the guards of this place. The brother, he's just as big and scary as that one. People don't mess with them anymore, not since they busted this one guy's head open with a walking stick."

If he meant to threaten Naruto with the story, then he failed in doing so. The only thing the words accomplished was satisfying the blonde. Knowing someone or multiple people can keep things in order pleased Naruto. "Nasty, but good to know."

Naruto could tell by the man's smirk that he enjoyed it whenever someone was dumb enough to challenge the den's protectors. That same man also stuck his hand out. "Name's Darion Pyke. What's someone like you doing in a place like this?"

Ignoring what sounded like a modified pick up line, the blonde cocked an eyebrow at the Iron Islands' bastard. "What do you mean by that?"

Darion followed up with a bit of elaboration. "Clean. You're way too clean to be in a questionable place like this." To further drive home his point, the Pyke gestured to the drunken, passed out men at some of the tables, with nothing but steins for company.

His chuckle also served as an admission of sorts, a confession that told Darion he was right. Though he agreed with Darion, Naruto didn't trust the man, not one bit. "I typically keep my plans to myself. Fewer people can track me that way."

"What about a friend? You'd share with a friend, wouldn't you?"

"I wouldn't go that far, Darion." Naruto replied quickly, keeping an eye on the bastard with every rejection uttered. He seemed friendly enough, but that didn't mean anything in the long run.

"Seriously, I'm not your enemy, and that makes me a friend." The islander's casual disposition might have helped with the common man, but Naruto wasn't normal.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders flippantly. "Bad luck, I don't need a friend."

"What _do_ you need, then?"

The blonde had a kunai fall out of his other sleeve and into his hand. His other hand busied with pinching the bridge of his nose. Stabbing the blade down into the wood in front of him, Naruto turned to his company at the bar. "You're not letting this go, are you?"

Darion's mix of green and brown colored eyes took a measure of the blade before he looked at Naruto. His stern expression slowly melted into a grin that made the assassin sigh with exasperation. "Nope, holding on for dear life."

'I can end his life before the big bad can even get his hand around his hammer.' If Naruto needed to tell Darion no a few more times, than his thought might gain enough traction to become a reality.

Clairvoyant or just perceptive, the man with Pyke attached to him said something that dissuaded Naruto from letting his kunai taste blood. "I wager it'd be easier to tell me what you want. If you did, this could be over already."

Naruto's fingers wrapped around the taped handle of his kunai, one digit at a time until he had the proper grip. He yanked it out of the wood, but sighed and sheathed the knife back on his person. "I need a boat."

"A boat, you say?" There was a gleam in the Iron Islands, native's eye at the mention of boats. Darion's interest got renewed and then some as he pawed at the small patch of coarse hair on his chin. "Are you looking to buy, build, or steal?"

"Buy" He had all of the prize money from winning the Melee and Joust, no need to complicate things when he could spend a portion of his endless riches. Or it may as well be endless with how little Naruto needed to purchase. Whores? No. Kunai? Occasionally.

Some of Darion's enthusiasm left his body as it deflated in front of Naruto's eyes. That reaction made it painfully clear he hoped for the opposite. He wanted Naruto to steal one, no doubt. "Stick in the mud. You looking for anything specific?"

For all the knowledge Naruto did have, none of it could be considered naval. Thanks to that, the blonde gave a shrug dripping with a carelessness that came from ignorance. "I need something that won't sink and is larger than something dumb like a raft."

An undignified combination of a laugh and a bellowing snort escaped from Darion's opened mouth. If Naruto hadn't amused him with that, then Darion might worry about being embarrassed that he made such a noise. Holding a finger up, he gathered himself with a deep breath.

"I just so happen to own an additional vessel, a gift from one of my more affluent lovers here in Duskendale. She isn't anything impressive- the ship I mean. My lover, well, she's another story altogether. One sail and a wooden bunk room on deck big enough for one person, it ain't glorious, but it doesn't have any problems." Standing up from his slouched seat, Darion smirked at a curious Naruto. "She can be yours if you want her?"

Naruto felt his gold weighing down his pocket and a chance waving in front of his face. "How much?"

"Since we're friends, how about you give me a hundred dragons for my bar tab, and we'll call it square?"

He needed every bit of restraint inside of himself to stop his hand from slapping his forehead. Darion had to bring up the whole friend thing again. Naruto let it go for the sake of his health. Reaching near his waist, he dropped a heavy pouch in Darion's hand. "You're in luck, Darion. I only carry sums of a thousand. Keep the change."

Darion didn't need to count the coin. He felt that the weight was right in his hand. "You'll find the deed in a set of lockers within a half-collapsed building outside of the eastern port. If you show that to the authorities, you're good to go."

"A pleasure doing business with you. If this is a trick, I will find you and make you pay more than a measly thousand dragons."

Waving off the insult, the Pyke sailor turned to Naruto with another proposition. "You know, you can hire me to-" Darion found himself speechless. "Where'd he go?"

* * *

_Sunspear_

"Of all the stupid things you could've done, you pick this one, Naruto?"

Days to digest what happened didn't temper any of the Viper Princess's anger. She had to find out that Naruto left Dorne from a letter he left rolled up on top of his pillows. At first, she worried that something happened to him after the attack at the party. After she read the parchment, her worry turned into indignant anger. Who did he think he was, up and taking off like that?

Only one thing saved Naruto from the woman's unholy rage, and that was what he left in the letter for her daughter. Had Naruto not included a whole section explaining things vaguely to her daughter, then he'd have been hunted down by now. Rhaenys was just happy to be getting the gift Naruto promised upon returning.

Elia knew that part of her frustrations came from personal matters left unresolved with the errant blonde. She thought that she'd have time to talk with Naruto about King's Landing after the party that came with his new lordship. That never happened, because the world once again proved that nothing was guaranteed. Her brown hair fanned out behind her as she fell backward onto Naruto's bed with a long sigh.

Leaving the letter text down on her stomach, the princess looked up at the dark ceiling wistfully. "When was the last time I missed someone like this?" Elia knew better than to compare this feeling to the longing she had for her family from months ago. Maybe when she first married Rhaegar, she felt this way? But that was a maybe at best.

She ran her fingertips over the back of the parchment, grazing against the slightly abrasive material as her thoughts continued to swirl around in her head. The young mother couldn't help but think of that night with Naruto, and not just the kissing. She remembered the heartfelt words that he poured out to her, how they made her heart come to life.

"Not to mention the amazing body he hides under his clothes..." The Martell woman stifled a breath. Blushing, she tried to come to terms with what she just said. "Gods, I sound just like Ashara." Her friend had no shame talking about Naruto's impressive physique when the blonde came up in their discussions.

Bringing up her friend's name reminded Elia that she had another issue to resolve before Naruto returned to her, to Dorne. She and Ashara needed to talk regarding their relationships with the blonde. Elia knew that Ashara had an interest in Naruto from the moment they left Starfall, but after he saved her at the party, Ashara's affection for their mutual friend only grew.

It felt wrong having this discussion without Naruto's input because he was just as much a part of this as her and Ashara. However, Elia didn't want something ugly to grow in her unintentionally. The thought of jealousy made her shake her head vigorously. "I already have the Stark bitch to hate. I won't let the same thing happen with my best friend. I refuse to see it happen again!"

A fire burned valiantly behind her mocha-brown hues. She didn't know what to expect from the conversation. What she did know was that this talk between her and Ashara needed to happen.

"I won't bow, I won't bend to expectations. I will not break!" She promised herself, smiling at the liberating feeling of having her confidence back.

The door to Naruto's room flung open, and a voice followed in with the same enthusiasm laced into it. "Momma!" Elia sat up just as her darling daughter came rushing into the room. "Ha! I knew I could find you! What are you doing in Naruto's room?" She asked with a childish tilt of her head.

Smiling, Elia leaned forward until her forehead bumped against Rhaenys' forehead. Rhaenys giggled for a moment, smiling up at her mother, who mirrored the expression. "I was taking a breath, Rhae."

"Why? Are you sick, Momma?" Rhaenys asked, confused by what her mother was doing.

Quickly patting Rhaenys' head, Elia did her best to push those troublesome thoughts out of her beautiful daughter. "No dear, not at all."

Taking her mother for her word, Rhaenys followed that with a beaming smile. She grabbed her mother's free hand and began to pull her with all the might her childish frame could create. "Come on then, Momma! You promised you'd play with Ari and me!"

Elia giggled merrily at the enthusiasm jumping off her daughter. Shaking her head, Elia held onto Naruto's note tightly. There'd be time for talking later, but for now, she needed to enjoy life, a life with her daughter. 'Thank you, Naruto.'

* * *

**Day One of Year 284 AC**

"Naruto, this is by far the craziest idea you've ever tried, and I've seen them all first hand." Naruto insulted himself, not shy in laying on the blame for the predicament he found himself trying to navigate. Yanking down on the ropes to keep the sail steady, the green sea goer did his best to keep his boat afloat.

The storm that settled above the Narrow Sea came with such ferocity that the after-effects of the massive waves and sharp winds trickled down into the Blackwater Bay, making it that much more difficult for Naruto to reach Dragonstone. Headwinds and large waves nearly toppled him several times already. He was sure dumb luck was the only reason he hadn't drowned in the black waters.

He couldn't use Chakra, less he risked ripping the sail, so all he had to rely on was his balance and natural strength. Naruto didn't like how the boat quivered under his feet, nor did he like the water splashing over his feet, but he had more important things to focus on, like staying alive. Spitting out a mouthful of sea spray, Naruto grumbled at the storm. "Where did this fucking thing come from?"

Nature responded to his lip with a sharp crack of lightning that struck the choppy waters off the port side. The soaked blonde spat out some sailor language and tried his best to ignore the rope burns on his palms. "Am I even on track anymore?"

Naruto's vision slowly sharpened thanks to the growing amount of life force amassing in them. The dark of the night abated some thanks to this handy application of Chakra. Now he saw the stars that the storm tried to conceal. One at a time, the shining beacons popped up, painting a picture through addition.

The one thing Naruto went out of his way to read about before this trip was the stars. He needed those stars to guide his hand because they were his map to Dragonstone. "Follow the smallest star in the night sky to reach the Stone of Dragon's Blood." He muttered to himself, pulling the sail to turn his boat to the east.

Naruto took a breath. For a moment, his clenched hands eased their crushing grip on the ropes of control. It proved to be a mistake on his part.

As soon as he dropped his guard, the weather took a sudden change. Out on the open water, it sounded like the planet itself howled as the wind changed directions from blowing inward to going out. The entire vessel jerked forward, sending Naruto tumbling down onto the sloshing deck of the boat. Blackwater's wet embrace welcomed Naruto after his fall. Thankfully, the water proved an effective way to snap Naruto out of his stupor.

The assassin hurriedly looked to the sail and breathed out in relief once he hopped back onto his feet. His ship's sail pushed out to its limit, but there wasn't a single rip for Naruto to worry over. He did worry about the weather patterns, however. "None of this makes any sense."

'What I know about the world is that a phenomenon of this level only happens when something extraordinary has come into being. Who or what has just changed everything?'

Time didn't amount to much on the open sea. He could have been behind that sail for a minute or an hour, and he wouldn't have been able to tell the difference. In the end, Naruto kept one foot stuck to the mast with Chakra and held onto the ropes until his small boat approached the ancestral home of this generation of Targaryen blood, Dragonstone.

An abrupt jolt of latent energy shot through Naruto's body, causing the blonde's head to throw beads of water in every direction as he looked around for the source of his reaction. He quickly realized that only one thing could've made him feel that way, Dragonstone, the home of the dragonlords.

'I can feel the Valyrian magic in the air. It's like a bubble amplifying everything around the island. It's not a pretty place, but that doesn't make this island any less incredible. When men and women want to make something, they can come up with some breath-taking things.' Too many people cared about things like physical beauty, but not Naruto. Dragonstone was a grim place, of that there is no doubt. However, the assassin saw beauty in that. He saw something authentic to itself, a place conveying the genuine feelings of its people. The Targaryens and their dragons were fierce, and so was Dragonstone.

The knowledge that Dragonstone got shaped by Valyrian magic made it something of a pariah in Westeros. Aerys II didn't do his family any favors, but the Targaryen's blatant use of magic ended up giving magic a bad name through association. He didn't believe that magic was-

Naruto's admiration for the dark backdrop of the draconic land came to an end when an excessive chunk of stone slammed into the water beside his boat. He quickly stuck his arms out for balance as a cross-sectioned wave pounded into the hull of his ship, making it rock to the left. When the geyser of salt-laced water crashed on him, the drenched assassin looked bleakly at his dripping hands. "I need to dock this somewhere that I can hide it."

The last thing he wanted was for a Baratheon ship to find his.

It took Naruto some time to locate suitable land. His searching paid off when it turned out an inlet cut in the island just large enough to fit his one-sail boat. The last rope landed on the rock structure to keep the ship in place when Naruto heard a loud crash from deeper within the island.

It was the last battle of the war. The final clash between dragon and stag was playing out on Dragonstone.

* * *

"Ser, what do we do? Without the royal fleet, we do not have the numbers needed to keep the Usurper's army in the Blackwater!" A man wearing gold armor and a dragon's talon on his breastplate screamed over the sound of their main gate getting hammered by a ram.

The commander that the royal bannerman looked to for guidance said nothing at first. His dark eyes stayed staunchly on the red and white griffins on his round buckler. Jon Connington gazed up into the rainstorm that found its way through the slits in his helmet. Everyone knew that the fleet was their only chance at victory.

The knight's golden cape whipped against the wind, dripping with raindrops fresh from the angry sky. Pulling the straps tighter on his shield, he set his steely gaze upon the choke point into the small square in front of the Stone Drum. "We'll fight to protect our Queen, even if it takes our lives! That is our oath, and unlike the Usurper, we honor our vows!"

Like the storm above, Jon's thundering words rippled through the forces gathered around him. Boosting them with promises of honor proved to be the right move. It didn't take long for the men to start a chant that combated the pounding of the invaders at their door.

Smiling at the courage displayed by his brothers in arms, Jon looked to the man who reported the demise of the fleet. "You, go find Ser Darry and have him ready the secondary defenses around Stone Drum! We must protect Queen Rhaella at all costs!"

The junior guard saluted before running off to relay the orders from the front line. As Jon Connington stood at the back of the defensive formation, he saw the determination of his troops. Their strength reinforced the smile of the man from the Stormlands. 'If these men can stand strong, then I will not dishonor them by bringing any less.'

Water flowed freely down the rounded edges of his white armor while the man's right hand moved to rest on the winged pommel of his blade. The gesture provided him with as much comfort as it did strength. Jon marched to the front with a newfound desire burning within him.

At the very front of the braced barrier of men, the griffin knight saw how the thick gate shuddered with every intrusive thrust of the Baratheon battering ram. Taking a deep breath, he put his head down and started a silent prayer. 'Dear Seven, if this is to be my last night, all I ask is that you reward my family for the loyalty I have shown to my King and Queen.'

A final nod of his helmeted head sealed his plea. Ready for anything, the son of the Stormlands stared through the broken trail of falling rain. Targaryen forces stared into the hungry faces of the Baratheon invaders when the gate finally fell amidst their hoarse cheering.

First through the gate was a tall man with thick shoulders. His large frame covered in a knight's armor and a brown pelt soaked with rain. On both sides of the helmet, antlers sprouted outward, giving his allegiances to the Baratheon away. Jon knew better; this wasn't any ordinary bannermen. He stood across from the Usurper's brother, Stannis Baratheon.

Lord Connington's son tried to stay calm, yet his tightening hands gave away his true feelings. He kept his hand up to ensure that the antsy men behind him stayed in their position. It required discipline if they wanted a chance against the superior numbers Stannis commanded.

Stannis Baratheon met the equally stern glare of Jon Connington with an impassive glower. The space between the two men never felt any more vast than in this moment of tension.

"Your brother killed my best friend. I will kill you and send your head back to the Usurper, Stannis." Jon promised with a pointed gesture from his silver steel.

"You and your House will pay for your treachery. Men, bring me the dragonspawn!" Stannis' call to action was equivalent to letting the war beasts off their leashes. Thunder shattered the cry of man, and a wave of bloodthirsty humanity poured into battle.

Jon's muscles curled beneath his armor. He anchored the bottom edge of his dripping sword on his buckler, ready to face the wave coming for them. "Show these dogs what real men look like!" He cried out to his fellow loyalists.

A trifecta of avid lightning bolts danced down from the sky as the unbridled fury of the Baratheon charge made the Dragonstone defense buckle back. In an uncontrollable moment of chaos, swords threw around both water and blood as they sought out the closest enemy.

They needed some time to do so, but the entrenched position helped the royal supporters fend off the fierceness of new King's forces. The push back created enough space for the Dragonstone army to fight back with bloody retaliation.

Death and blood quickly piled up on both sides as men slaughtered each other for their Lord, and Lady respectively. This courting of death turned into a dance that had no winners in the end but got readily completed by brave men.

Jon pushed through the bloody carnage one body at a time. The heat of battle didn't give him much time to look around, but what he saw gave him hope. His men were killing more Baratheon than the other way around.

He instinctually lifted his buckler and stopped a sword slash before it came down. Jon didn't waste any time in stabbing his blade through the man's unprotected stomach, granting the man a quick death.

Ripping his sword free, he tried to lunge to his left and save one of his knights. Jon didn't get there in time and had to watch a sword behead one of his own. The killer didn't have the chance to turn to his next opponent before Jon's sword punched through the front of the bloody man's throat.

"Scum..." His voice came out sharp like the sword that spilled the dead man's blood. Jon put his foot on the man's back and kicked him forward, sending the dead man to the ground and freeing the sword in a splash of red gore.

"Attacking from behind? Have you no honor, just like your friend Rapist Rhaegar?" A cold fury brewed in Stannis' voice as he stepped up to Dragonstone's front line leader. His antlers dripped rain onto his waterlogged pelt, but the weight didn't hinder Stannis in the slightest.

Turning around to face his adversary, Jon didn't hide the hateful scowl sketched beneath his helmet. "You speak of honor, and yet you're here to kidnap innocent children? I'd call you a man, but you're more of a dog following orders at the end of a leash!"

Stannis' face flashed with the fury so intimately connected with his family's name. "Watch your mouth, boy. You know nothing about-"

"All I hear are the words from your brother's mouth. It smells like the same shit too! When were you last your own man, errand boy?" The knight of griffins continued to demean and diminish the jealous brother with great success.

So angry that he couldn't even dispute his foe, Stannis charged at Jon with a guttural roar storming from his mouth. The power of the Baratheon's wild hacking met the fluidity of the Connington's graceful swordplay. At the point of impact, Stannis won with his superior strength. However, as the standoff of blades continued, Jon's technical skill showed as he gradually maneuvered himself into a position of advantage.

Stannis broke the tie by powering his shoulder into Jon's chest. His bigger frame knocked the smaller man off balance. He followed up that advantage with a violent slash that nearly bit into Jon, who hastily redirected the slash with his trusted steel.

Snarling with each attack, Robert's older brother barreled ahead with anger powering the savage, overhead sword strikes he rained down on Jon. The smaller Ser buckled numerous times, his body shying away from the pale metal that slowly encroached into his personal space. At this rate, the power of Stannis Baratheon would spell Jon's doom.

Jon was smart enough to see that and reacted accordingly. Panting sharply, he waited for the next of Stannis' boorish strikes. Stannis relied on power more than skill, which left him with openings for those resilient enough to take his sword. Jon was one such person.

He bolted forward and buried the rounded top of his buckler deep into the larger man's stomach. Stannis' armor ate most of the damage, but the force pushed him back and cut off his downward stroke. Jon quickly cut up, his sword slicing through the brown pelt and cutting into the armor underneath.

"GRAH!" Stannis howled like a beast, lashing out as he took the damage. His non-sword arm whipped to the side to slam the shield in his hand into Jon's helmet. Metal creaked as it twisted inward, cutting into the griffin's left cheek.

His feet continually shuffled until another person stopped Jon's momentum. Instinct demanded Jon spin around and attack, so he whirled around and cleaved through a Baratheon bannerman's neck, cutting clean through the spinal cord.

Shaking away the daze, Jon dug under his helmet and threw the damaged piece off to the side. Cold was the rain, and it made Jon sigh softly in relief as it fell on his sweaty skin. Ready for the fight, he turned back to Stannis to see the man stabbing his sword in a man trying to crawl away from him.

Jon saw someone different below the heel of the Baratheon brood. Who he saw was his dead best friend, Rhaegar. Red covered up everything else as his base instinct called for the sweet taste of revenge. "STANNIS!"

That scream signaled the second round of combat between the two leaders. It also served as a signal for the men around them who poured all they had into the battle.

* * *

It didn't take long before Naruto found himself severely regretting his choice to climb up the side of Stone Drum. He made it around fifty feet when regret settled in. At that height, he got an accurate feel for how bitter the cold wind could be when in drenched clothing. Long story short, he was miserable the entire way up.

Now at the top of the Stone Drum, Naruto and his dripping cloak stood in the raging winds and cold rain. From up here, he could see it all. He saw the faint glow of orange where the battle was taking place. Blue eyes also found the ships out in the distance, specks only given away by the lights on them. This high up everything looked small, but the consequences of this fledgling day were anything but small.

'I picked one hell of a way to start the new year.'

The curious blonde wandered down into the depths of the Sea Dragon watchtower, taking the stairs down from the top of said tower. There wasn't much light apart from the square patch at the foot of the steps. Fortunately, Naruto didn't need the light. Like he did out at sea, he used Chakra to pierce the dark.

"What in the world?"

Naruto's words of surprise jumbled through the darkness, creating an echo that spread freely through the tower's vast innards. Inadvertently stumbling into a storeroom left Naruto with a discovery that left even the confident assassin unsure of what to do. He got down low, almost on his knees, before he inched forward with his hand stretched out. Placing his hand against the cold surface of a bone, the magical potency of the item caused Naruto's Chakra to go haywire.

"A dragon's skull, amazing." Forget about the magical properties in the bone, here he was, with an actual dragon's skeletal head staring back at him. The tender touch of his finger tracing the outline of the dead dragon's orbital socket didn't make it any more real in Naruto's mind. "Dragons disappeared so long ago. It's difficult to imagine them ever existing. What else are you hiding, Dragonstone?"

Naruto had a feeling in his bones that he could spend years trying to unravel this place of the past, and not even scratch the surface of its potential. Most people would try to steal something like this, or at the very least destroy it but not Naruto. He wanted to preserve it. He desired to see this last well-past his time.

A thought filtered through his mind, and with it, a dark look of anger settled on Naruto's face. The Baratheon would destroy this. There was no if in that statement. "I can't take this whole thing. I wish that I could, but I just can't."

Making a choice, the killer's hand glowed a faint blue as he wrapped it around the only horn left on the skull. With a flick of his wrist, Naruto snapped the horn off the rest of the dead dragon's bone head. Even broken, the horn was about as long as Naruto's thigh. "Sorry, I had to do this, but at least this way, part of you will survive the night."

Storing the bone horn safely on his person, the Mountain Slayer left the dragon remains with a lingering gaze, one rife with remorse. The faint musings of a whisper drew Naruto's attention away from the remains of the legendary beast. He drifted after the sound. His progress came to an abrupt end at the western wall.

_"I have to hurry!"_

Closer to the whispers this time, it was easier for Naruto to pin down the sound. He heard the hurried gasp of an out of breath man directly beneath him. 'What's with the Targaryens and making secret hatches?' Shaking off his curiosity, he kept an ear out for the sounds of shuffling below.

It wasn't until he heard a door slam that Naruto decided to act. Chakra flared up around the sole of his foot, and with a stomp, the floor beneath Naruto collapsed.

Naruto gracefully dropped in through a rain of stone-dust and debris. He waved away the particles of dust and stone and gazed out at the room around him. Potion bottles gleamed under a coating of orange torchlight, and a desk of scattered papers filled Naruto's sight.

Reading a paper left on the desk, Naruto came to a quick conclusion. "This is the Maester's room." He narrowed his eyes on the closed door. "Where was he going in such a hurry?"

The damp, bottom lip of Naruto's cloak left a trail of small puddles on his way to the door. Pulling the door open, one of Naruto's blue eyes forced itself shut when a gust of rain-carrying wind blasted him.

One eye stared into the rain to find a short tunnel structure that emptied onto a long bridge, hundreds of feet over Dragonstone soil. The whole bridge swayed with the direction of the wind, a hazard distance that only went two ways, there and here.

"Would it kill one of these people to make a simple way to access a castle?" It became a reoccurring theme to make stupidly elaborate ways to make it into these royal dwelling places. Thunder's booming escalation reset Naruto's attention to the problem at hand. "It might not have killed them, but it can kill me for sure."

Shaking his head and throwing his hood over it, Naruto marched out onto the death bridge. Every step reminded him that no amount of metal bolting could make something like drenched wood safe. Let alone when that wood got thrown from left to right by an uncontrollable wind that never stopped howling.

Chains and stone support structures stopped the bridge from capsizing, but even with all that and his Chakra, Naruto nearly slipped off the sides several times. Bounding across the final third of the bridge in one exceptional leap, Naruto landed in front of Stone Drum's entrance, hood down.

Two lungs inflated with the distinct sea air due to a deep breath Naruto took as he prepared himself. 'Here goes nothing.' He front kicked the door, shooting the wooden barrier off its hinges and into the opposite wall with a shattering crack.

Naruto rolled into one of Stone Drum's many halls. Once there, the assassin sat on a knee with a pair of tightly clasped kunai in his hands. He left his arms crossed in a position of alert, but all he found was silence. The sound of nothing made his head do up in confusion.

Expecting a swarm of guards and getting nothing, left Naruto bewildered. Still weary, he took back to his feet and checked the hallways on both ends. "Anyone home?"

Again, he didn't get a response, not even one that his finely tuned senses could pick up.

With no one to use them on, the whiskered blonde slid his twin blades up the cover of his sleeves. Scratching the side of his nose with his thumb, Naruto tried to think of some way to decide where he'd go next. His deliberations got put on pause when another flash of lightning bathed the corridor in white light.

Through the casting of ivory light, Naruto saw something that he missed in his initial entrance, a facet he overlooked when he burst in expecting resistance. In front of him, there was a tapestry, a beautiful one at that.

While exquisite, it wasn't the beauty that left Naruto staring. The assassin found himself interested in the long shadow stretching out from below the tapestry. The wall _should_ be too close to make that long of a shadow, in his opinion.

His curious fingers slid against the side of the decorative banner. Naruto got to the middle point when he stopped suddenly with a smirk. "I thought so."

Ripping the silk banner from the wall, he exposed a third corridor. "This must be important if they went through the trouble of hiding it, and it doesn't have stairs."

His silent steps approached the slightly ajar door with caution. The door's wooden frame creaked loudly as the whole thing swung open slowly under Naruto's hand. He saw two things in the center of the room, and only had one word.

"Fuck."

Naruto found the body of Queen Rhaella Targaryen at rest under a thick covering of blankets. Her body clammy and enveloped in a stagnant sweat, she didn't even remotely resemble a Queen. Another curse flowed off his lips when he saw the barren crib next to her body but no baby.

Naruto positioned himself next to Rhaella and her bed. Up close, he saw the terrible state of the dowager Queen, and he didn't mean the sweat and pale skin. What little he saw of her arms and hands were blemished by terrible scars. As a man of many talents, Naruto saw them all.

He took note of cuts made by both arrowheads and blades. There were burn marks and even something similar to a kitchen knife wound on her body.

The worst part? These wounds were at least a decade old.

"Who did this to you? Who let something so inhumane happen to you?" Dropping her arm with a shake of his head, he gazed upon the look of anguish on her face. The sorrow on his face was clear to see. "Let me show you some ounce of respect, my lady."

Halfway up with the sheet that he planned on covering the former Queen with, Naruto dipped his head in respect. Knowing he couldn't do more, he did something that he very rarely did. He sent a prayer out on behalf of the silver-haired woman in front of him.

The smooth shadow of the sheet reached her chin before Naruto paused again. "I promise that I won't let Robert's forces anywhere near you."

'Not after what they did with Aegon's body, never again.'

_THUMP!_

His deep blue irises expanded, and his pupils shrunk down to two tiny dots. Hastily tossing aside the sheet, Naruto dropped his head and stuck an ear against the woman's chest. Every bit of himself got poured into straining his senses in a desperate gambit to see if he could hear that single sound once more.

Under any other set of circumstances, Naruto might find himself embarrassed to be like this. Having his head pushed against a woman's chest this way was just asking for misunderstanding, but if she was alive-

"Come on, give me something! Anything!" Being aware that his voice might not reach her didn't stop the blonde from funneling conviction into his plea. He didn't get anything from her for so long that he stopped breathing so that even that slight sound couldn't cause interference.

_THUMP!_

The entirety of Naruto's body recoiled from Rhaella like a taut spring finally freed. "She's alive, but that pulse is way too slow to keep her alive. Dying, she's dying." Biting on his lower lip, a mad scramble to think of something ensued in his head.

Swiping the sticky threads of silver hair from her face and forehead, Naruto physically tried to psyche himself up. He leaned forward and whispered to the worn-down woman on the verge of death. "You're a dragon, right? Then fight like one, Rhaella! Fight!"

With his voice left for her to fight towards, Naruto could prepare himself for something he never tried on warning from his mentor. He tossed his cloak to the side and slapped his hands together in front of him. With a look of great focus, his entire body glowed bright blue.

_"I who have been blessed by this Earth with the power of life, call for help to cure strife." _The shielding of energy burned twice as brightly around Naruto. His presence encompassed all, but while the stonework started to falter, Rhaella was unharmed. _"By those of the Old World and free from the confines of magic, I mend these times most tragic. There is no room to mourn, by my hands, you will be reborn!"_

Naruto's spell ended with the energy inside of him starting to bubble as the chant took effect. Groaning at the pain of being burnt from the inside, he bit roughly on his lip. His teeth drew blood, but it was the pain he chased. Making use of his pain as a tool of focus, he began to force all of his Chakra into his throbbing hands.

A shockwave that knocked the room's walls down spread with Naruto and Rhaella as its focal point. The recognizable azure hue turned into a lively green as blood dripped from the corner of Naruto's mouth. 'I need more!'

His muscles already fought to rip through his skin, but Naruto wanted more. No, he demanded more. Veins and muscles alike bulged as the assassin turned healer forced his screaming cells to pour even more of his life force to the surface. The toll on Naruto's body was obvious, but so were the results.

The pure power generated by Naruto and his Chakra left the entire room alive with a low humming sound. His hands went from a light gleam to a pair of green glowing suns. Quickly putting his hands over Rhaella's sternum, he willed his life force to wrap around her fading body.

A coating of green energy formed around Rhaella's body, the sphere of power gradually sunk into the former Queen's frame. 'W-work already!' Naruto said something of plea to himself. His thoughts came to an end when his body coughed up blood. The blonde looked through the sweat in his eyes at his patient, panting deeply but smiling.

He saw them, all of the scars on her skin starting to fill in one by one with natural, healthy flesh. His Chakra came with even more benefits than the concoctions of potions or even magic. Because he commanded raw life force, his energy not only healed the damage done, but it also started to reverse the effects of aging.

The affect the spell had on him? Well, Naruto chose to ignore that part.

The gaunt woman filled out to a healthier state, gaining around ten pounds. Next, her pale skin started to get back its fair complexion. Rhaella's last scars healed up beneath her right eye. Four minutes of agonizing pain and his healing of Rhaella Targaryen was complete.

Any chance at celebrating crashed like Naruto did when his body gave out and sent him to the floor. Barely avoiding the side of the bed with his head, Naruto sat on his knees, spitting up blood. Now it was Naruto who looked half dead. The clarity of his blue eyes turned milky, and his blonde hair was one step from pale like a sheet.

But he'd live, Rhaella wouldn't be so lucky without him risking his health to heal her.

Hacking up some more globs, the depleted man lifted his trembling limb. With the back of his hand, he smeared the blood across his mouth, giving him a wicked, mock smirk. The expression left in blood no way matched how Naruto felt, but it was what it was.

"I have to get up. I have to get h-her out of here before-" Naruto traded out speaking for a massive cry of agony that followed him, all the way up to his feet. Stirring up what little Chakra he had left, the energy got fed to the muscles in his limbs. "I hope I c-can hold out."

His body didn't agree with the choice to pick Rhaella up, but that's what Naruto did. The athletic frame on the assassin may as well be a wet noodle with Rhaella there to add to his physical burden. Ignoring the prevailing scent of sweat on Rhaella's body, he kept the blankets tight, which kept her modesty safely guarded.

One step out of the room and Naruto heard the sounds of swords clashing. Two of his possible escape roots were gone. That meant he only had one way out, the bridge of death.

'No more goofing around.' Glassy from the healing process or not, the determination couldn't be denied from Naruto's eyes. His head went down, and Rhaella's unconscious body got pulled into his chest. A moment later at the stone under Naruto's feet shattered as a mixed blur of yellow and silver raced out into the rain.

Crossing the bridge in less than a second, Naruto felt his slick soles slipping when he tried to stop himself. He cursed and turned so that it was his back crashing against the wall in the Maester's room. Stifling a grunt with colorful words, he forced down a mouthful of blood by swallowing it.

"Chakra's too low to focus on healing," Naruto advised himself through a haze of pain. It only felt worst because he couldn't get full breathes through his burning chest. With a limp in his stride, Naruto carried the Queen to the hole he left in the ceiling.

Jumping up into the storeroom of oddities, the fatigued male didn't even spare the dragon skull he took from a glance this time. This time around, he didn't have any time to spend on the dead. Naruto needed to put all of his waning focus on making sure that he and Rhaella escaped Dragonstone. If only the Baratheon weren't following out a bloody crusade against the defeated dragons. Maybe it was too much to ask that King Robert Baratheon learn mercy, or at the very least restraint.

He cringed softly at the weight of the stormy wind blasting his aching body. It wasn't the kind of greeting he wanted at the top of the tower. Vacant blue eyes dropped down on Rhaella's unaware person.

He chuckled wryly with a matching smirk as he stared at the dragon sleeping in his arms. "You haven't said a word to me, and you might be the death of me. Elia would have my head for this, b-but I can't bring myself to leave you here."

Carefully limping to the edge of the Sea Dragon Tower, Naruto experienced a strong case of tunnel vision, which almost sent him tumbling over the precipice. He stared down into the choppy waters waiting for them below. His gathered sigh carried one last message. "Only one way down."

And then, Naruto took a step off the tower.

**END**

* * *

**Writer's Note II: **Was the ending I chose a bit cruel? Most definitely yes, but I haven't done a solid cliff hanger in some time. I think that I can sneak one in here or there since I don't put one in every other chapter. Besides, unlike most writers, I think that the length of my chapters gives a cliff hanger ending more credibility as a plot device. Any who, enough rambling on my part, I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. Read, review, and most of all, I want you to have fun! I'll see you guys and gals next time.


	11. War of the Zealots I

**Writer's Note I: **Yes, I am still here. A little backstory to go with this update. Sometime back in March/April, my hard drive died. I lost documents, photos, work information, and Fanfiction stories. This chapter was one of them. My greatest weakness is writing something that I've already done before. Honestly, that unfortunate event almost killed this story. The only reason I got the motivation to write this again was because of _Jebest4781_ updating his A Dragon's Guardian Redux. Without further delay, please enjoy Chapter Eleven of A New Game!

* * *

_A New Game_

**Chapter Eleven: War of the Zealots, Part 1**

* * *

**Year 284 AC**

The weight of the situation fell off Naruto's shoulders when the shoreline of the Free City Myr appeared over the choppy waves his ship traveled. It felt like centuries since he jumped off that tower with Rhaella in his arms, and his Chakra wrapped around him like an eggshell.

Over the long night, Naruto lost track of the number of times he worried that someone might find them. The wild storm should have sunk their little ship outside of Dragonstone. The royal fleet should have discovered them. In the end, Stannis' hasty attempt to please his brother failed, and Naruto sailed to Essos with a recovering queen sleeping on board.

It was a blessing in disguise because with how Naruto felt, any fight had the potential to be his last. Pulling the life force from his body to heal the dying dragon left him in a perpetual state of sluggishness. His body felt heavy, and he barely had the strength to do the things he used to do with ease.

Being isolated on his ship helped remedy some of his physical limitations, but it was still frustrating to Naruto. Whenever he went too far, he looked at Rhaella and realized he didn't have it too bad.

The water from the ocean shattered against his rocking vessel. All the broken water sprayed softly against Naruto's pensive expression. The assassin looked at the miles of waves; they helped him stay aware through all his fatigue, both natural and forced. "At least it's over now."

Rotating on his heel, Naruto worked his way over to the only cabin on the small ship. He nudged the door open as carefully as he could, a courtesy paid to the former queen. It really didn't matter because she didn't ever wake up, but it's what he chose to do.

Sunken in blue eyes took in the slumbering woman's face. A smile slowly slipped into place on Naruto's weary face. "You're looking much better than me. We've gotten through the tough stuff. Now I need to get you back to my place without making people think I kidnapped you." The last thing he needed was the local authorities on his case.

Rhaella looked infinitely better than she did when Naruto stumbled upon her next to that emptied crib. His work got rid of her scars and burned flesh, leaving healthy but pale skin. The process of fitting her into his cloak took more time than usual. If he successfully managed to hide the last Dragon Queen's face, it'd be much easier to convince people this wasn't a kidnapping.

"Here's hoping for the best," Naruto told her, pulling the hood up over her dirtied, silver hair. He smiled at the sound of a port docking horn. Finally, their long journey across the Narrow was over.

Naruto scooped the hidden queen up in his arms, bridal style. He tucked her face against his shoulder and away from prying eyes. As soon as he stepped out on the deck, his worries of what came next left him.

He couldn't recall being happier to see a person than he was now looking at the man tying his ship to the dock. Instead of having to talk down a stranger, Naruto had someone he spoke with plenty. The man's name was Marko.

Instinct drove Naruto to tighten his grip on Rhaella as he stepped from the ship to the dock. His golden hair instantly glowed with the shine off the morning sun. The bright light also made his haggard physical appearance more glaring. It was a state that Marko commented on right off the bat. "Holy hells, Naruto, you like absolute shit! What happened to you?"

So much for a proper hello!

The tired ache in his bones almost forced Naruto to tell the modest dock hand the truth. Thankfully, he caught himself before making that terrible mistake. "It's nothing that a little sleep won't fix. How have you been? Work been good?"

A look filled with trepidation filtered over Marko's round face, and he scratched at the top of his shaved head. The man's olive skin proved just how much time he spent working out in the Essos sun. "How much have you heard about what's been happening here in Myr?" Was it Naruto's imagination, or did Marko drop his voice a few decibels?

The Sea of Myrth continued licking at the back of his neck with its east blowing wind. Naruto looked out at the city limits in front of him. Had that much changed in the handful of months that he spent away from Myr? "No, my attention has been firmly planted in Westeros. What happened?"

Things got even sketchier when Marko paused and looked around the empty docks and pathways around them. "The folks up in the churches have been up in arms, and no one knows why. They've moved past threats and have gone on to fighting amongst each other. Whole groups of people die in fires and to different poisons. Everyone in Myr is on edge because they think they're next. The magisters won't even leave their homes anymore."

"When did all of this start?" Naruto thought that coming to Essos provided a buffer of safety until he was ready to move Rhaella. It ended up the opposite. He inadvertently brought her into another conflict.

"A few weeks ago, someone walked into the Red Temple. No one lived to say what happened exactly, but everyone knows there was an explosion. I'm not sure which group did it, but the Red Priestesses are up in arms. They are recruiting anyone willing to swing a sword for them." The craziness of it all made everyday working docks a risk to his health. Risk or not, Marko needed the money, so here he was.

That's all the assassin needed to hear to know where things went from here. Naruto figured that in response to the Red Temple's mobilization, the other churches would start forming their versions of militant groups. At this rate, Myr would be ground zero for a war of zealots, and the collateral would be egregious.

No, scratch that, Myr already turned into a warzone. 'I can't take Rhaella back out on the water. She won't make it. Hells, I might not make it!'

"I have to ask, who is that?" A more perceptive person would've seen how Naruto's fingers tightened against Rhaella's obscured body. As it were, Marko focused more on looking into the two incredibly tired-looking blue eyes of his friend.

Naruto was lucky to have had plenty of time on the boat to come up with a cover story for Rhaella and her current condition. And with the leverage of his relationship with Marko, Naruto was unlikely to be questioned further after his initial statement.

"I found this woman on a ship a few miles out. I think she ran out of food and water, so I'm going to get her some back at my place." Naruto's words were half of a lie. He did plan on getting some much-needed nourishment in Rhaella.

Marko looked at Naruto for a moment before chuckling. "You always did have a soft spot for the ladies."

"We both know that's not the entire truth! Remember that woman that thought she could twist my arm with blackmail? How'd that end up for her?"

"Oh, I remember that one? What was her name again? Elesaria?"

A flash of the assassin under that smile showed up in the form of a pair of frigid eyes. "That was her name, wasn't it?"

Despite the summer heat, Marko shuddered at the look on Naruto's face. 'I forget how scary he can be.'

"If you'll excuse me, Marko. I have to get my new friend here out of the sun."

"R-right! Be careful out there, Naruto!"

Naruto dipped his head and swiftly moved around Marko. It had been months, but the blonde still knew these paths like the back of his hand. Traveling them on the daily burnt these routes into his brain, something Naruto was thankful to have. 'Time to get to the safe house.'

Out here in the maze of warehouses and impoverished buildings, the only kind of people on the streets were the poorly paid and slaves. The city didn't see any reason to renovate the old buildings. Their choice made this the perfect place for someone to hide.

A turn here and a twist there, and Naruto carried Rhaella deeper into the bowels of Myr's forgotten district. The walls narrowed in on him, but never so much that they impeded Naruto from getting where he wanted to go.

Naruto reached a chain link fence peeled back far enough for him to crouch down and wiggle through the hole. A few minutes later and Naruto came up to a latched metal plate that he promptly opened, letting in the light.

"Home sweet home," His whimsical smile stretched as he saw small dust particles falling across the light rushing into his home. Carrying the unconscious dragon to the couch, he carefully set her down and sunk into the fat cushion. Rhaella's feet rested on his thighs. "Let's pick this back up in a few hours. I can use some shut-eye."

* * *

The days in Myr blended together for Naruto. In the morning, he took care of Rhaella, feeding, and bathing her. It was awkward at first, but the whole process felt normal after a handful of days. He used his early afternoons to get information on the tension in the city, but everyone was rather tight-lipped. And his nights went spent watching over Rhaella and training his body.

Speaking of his body, he finally started recovering from the aftermath of the healing spell he used on Rhaella. Not only did his hair and eyes regain their vibrancy, but he also felt more energetic with every workout. Naruto couldn't go as long as he used to without a break yet, but the progress was encouraging.

He hoped that Rhaella showed the same signs of recovery soon.

Naruto let out a sigh, wiping away the gathered sweat from his forehead with a dampened cloth. The contrast of the cold fabric on his warm body felt fantastic, as did the small streaks of cold water that came down from the rag. "If I continue improving at this rate, maybe he won't notice that I used the spell."

He knew that if his teacher found out what he did for Rhaella that he'd get his ear chewed off. "Eh, it wouldn't be the first time."

Tossing the cloth back into the bucket sitting by his shirt, the blonde walked to the wall of wooden planks that held several of his ebony knives inside of it. He plucked one of his knives free, and he ran his finger against the bladed edge. He used these beauties so many times over the last two weeks that he chipped the metal.

"It looks like I can't put off getting more of these any longer. If I carried these into a real battle, they'd be useless against any weapon of average quality." And that wasn't acceptable to the assassin.

He tossed the kunai into the wall once again, and to Naruto's expected disappointment, it didn't sink into the wood far at all. "Yup, it's time for a visit to Camilia and Victus." Naruto glanced down at himself. "But before that, I need some clothes."

Naruto went back into his Myr home and got dressed quickly. Unlike the long clothes he wore in Westeros, the blonde killer opted for a tighter wardrobe here in Essos.

He wore a form-fitting black leather piece that got shaped in a way that lightly resembled the physique of the human torso. The only separating section between his leather chest piece and pants was a silver buckle on his black belt.

"All this equipment, and I still feel naked without my blades." Naruto's lament followed him to Rhaella's bedroom. He wanted to check on her before he left just to be safe. "I'm heading out for a bit, Rhaella. I'll be back before you're up."

And with that, Naruto shut the door and made his way into the powder keg that was the Free City Myr.

The number of people out on the streets was a shell of the past. And the people he did run into were tense around him. He figured that made sense since no one knew who stood with whom in this war.

R'hllor.

Bakkalon.

Many-Faced God.

Those were the three most influential religious groups in the city. But to make things more complicated, several smaller groups joined in on the chaos. Two of those minor groups were more active than the others.

The Black Goat and the Church of Starry Wisdom.

What Naruto read about those two, in particular, rivaled the cruelty of the Red Religion. If anything, the Black Goats and Church Cult were more heinous because they did these things with fewer people. Their ideologies made Naruto's skin crawl.

The thought of the more fanatic Red Priestesses having control of an entire city sounded like a thing of nightmares.

A familiar branding of a storefront drew Naruto out of his thoughts. _Imperial Steel_, Naruto's one-stop-shop for all his weapon needs. His smile dropped when he saw the closed sign nailed to the door. 'This isn't Camilia or Victus' handwriting.'

"What are you doing near the shop?"

Naruto looked back over his shoulder. "Calvin?"

Now introduced as Calvin, the young man's hazel-colored eyes widened in surprise. "Ser Naruto?"

The blonde in leather groaned under his breath. Naruto tried telling Calvin to drop the title, but the store's help always defaulted to Ser. He couldn't let Calvin know about his lordship in Dorne, or he might go insane. "Where are the twins?"

Naruto was far from pleased to see the grimace on Calvin's freckle-stained face. "I think we should speak about this in private, Ser."

The blonde assassin raised an eyebrow and stepped aside so Calvin could open the shop for them. Both men stepped into the shop, and Naruto smiled at all the weaponry on the shelves. "Those two always were productive smiths. So, Calvin, where are Camilia and Victus?"

"Ser, what do you know about the... problems in Myr?"

The new lord of Water Gardens grunted internally. 'Great, this again.'

"More than I'd like to know. Why, what does this have to do with the twins?"

Calvin looked down at the ground in guilt. "Lord Victus and Lady Camilia gained the attention of the religious groups because of their smithing skill. Lady Camilia said that the Red Priestesses took Lord Victus, and I was in the back when the Church Cult came and abducted Lady Camilia."

Naruto bit back the curses on his tongue. Myr really did change since his last visit. "How long ago was this, Calvin?"

"A few weeks ago, Ser. I tried gathering some men to free them, but the sellswords are all hired by the religious groups!" The feeling of uselessness knotting Calvin's gut made the boy of sixteen years feel sick.

"Damn it!" With that amount of time since passed, Naruto couldn't guarantee that either of the twins was still alive. He chewed on the inside of his cheek and closed his eyes. He needed a plan. "I need information."

"Ser?"

Sighing, Naruto opened his eyes and found a confused teen looking back at him. "Calvin, stay here and look after the shop. Don't let anyone in that isn't me, got it?"

Calvin stammered out an affirmative answer. "I understand, but what about you?"

"I'm going to try and get Camilia back from the Starry Wisdom idiots."

"And Lord Victus?"

"He's next! The Red Religion is larger and has more influence, that means more time leaving the other prisoner! Now be quiet and do as I say!"

"Y-Yes ser!"

Naruto rushed out of the store, exhaling through his nose. 'Here, I was hoping for an easy day out. Hold on, Camilia, I'm coming for you!'

* * *

_Later that day_

"One little twist to the left and..." The click of him picking the window's lock made Naruto smile. He shimmied the glass pane open and wriggled his way through his created opening. Naruto transitioned quickly back onto his feet. The frosted glass pane and his center of gravity were the only things helping Naruto keep his balance on a ledge several stories off the ground.

Naruto looked down into what he supposed could be called a temple and found lots of black and dark purple. Small explosions of painted and sewn white filled the dark, like a cheap imitation of stars in the night sky. And the torches that provided light didn't reach high enough to threaten Naruto's position in the rafters. Taking a breath, Naruto leaped to the nearest wooden beam, landing in a tight crouch.

Carefully treading over these thin beams, the assassin worked his way deeper into the building. His footsteps were even quieter than the small hiss of the flames burning through their torches. 'It's quieter in here than I expected.'

It didn't matter. Naruto still had plenty to work with here. The roof started elevating as the side rooms funneled into the more spacious main chamber.

Naruto went from crouched to a full stand. He scanned the floor for anything of interest. The assassin got what he wanted in the form of three men in dark purple robes. It appeared that the cloaked acolytes were in the middle of a conversation. 'Lovely, let's hear what you have to say.'

"Do you think tis the day, brothers? I grow tired of hearing this idiotic city slander our name."

"Patience brother, we are not as large as the fake religions in Myr. We must make up the quantity with quality and cunning."

The third man in robes spoke next. "It has been a month, and Seer Alonso's responses to this point have been... underwhelming."

"Now that's not the truth. Just recently, we've _acquired_ the talents of the resident weaponsmith! They say she is the best in all of Myr." Again, the second man returned to the conversation.

"If only the woman would do as the Seer commands, and make the weapons we require!"

"Calm yourself, brother. There's no reason to raise your voice in such a manner. The woman will cave, and we will have our weapons."

Naruto almost dropped down from the ceiling with his steel bared at those words, but he held off for the time being.

"I hope so. There's Valyrian Steel gathering dust as we speak." The first man said through a sigh of frustration.

"Have the second group returned, Brother Belot?"

"No. Seer Alonso doesn't expect them back until this evening."

The man that started the conversation cut in with a scoff. "I don't like the idea of leaving our brothers on their own at times like these!"

Brother Belot nodded his head in agreement. "Neither do I, but we require swords and crossbows if we are to expel the false idols from Myr."

"My sword is getting rather thirsty. Tis the time for action, not sitting on our collective hands!"

Naruto decided he heard enough. Dropping down from the rafters, he landed in between two of the three men. The assassin came down daggers first, driving his weapons into the back of the acolytes' necks.

Both men fell with Naruto, who sprung up from his knees and buried a third kunai in the throat of Brother Belot. His chipped weapon made an uneven cut, but he got his tool of choice deep enough to silence the acolyte permanently.

He pulled the bloodied blade free and caught the religious man's body before it hit the ground. Naruto dragged the three corpses off behind a stone altar table, leaving only small puddles of blood leaking into the stone creases.

"Hey! What's going on in there? Don't make us start without you three!"

Naruto grabbed his kunai and flung himself up against the wall, sinking into the shadows. Oblivious to Naruto being right on the other side of the wall, a new man walked into the main chamber with a frown. "Where'd those idiots-"

Hooked from behind, the man had a hand placed over his mouth before a shooting pain hit his body. A gurgle of warm blood went down his throat thanks to Naruto and his kunai slashing across the robed man's jugular.

He held the man close to his chest, refusing to release the church member until he felt the last signs of life slipping out of the man's weakening body. Once he released his last breath, Naruto allowed him to slide down to the cold ground. 'I smell food.'

True to his senses, the waft of wild meat bronzing over a fire went to his nostrils. He kept his head against the stone wall and listened through the noise in the next room.

"Take the gristle and bones down to the non-believer."

"Are you sure? The Seer was clear with his orders. He wants the prisoner treated right."

"A bit of hunger will make her more agreeable. I'm not wasting my stew on some faithless whore."

"Er, alright, but if the Seer asks, I'm telling him this was your idea."

"Whatever"

Naruto whipped around the corner. In one fluid motion, he sent a kunai flying through the air. The projectile went right between the eyes of the man holding the plate of waste products. Dead before the plate hit the ground, the shattering of the cheap porcelain got the cook's attention. "What the-"

The ocean-colored eyes of Naruto met him. His shock froze him in place until he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Naruto tightened his grip on the kunai and shoved it deeper into the man's stomach, right into his liver. "I hope you meet whatever deity you worship. Tell him the color of these eyes when you meet him."

With the light taken from the man's shocked eyes, Naruto took a step back. The cook's body crumbled at Naruto's feet. He took a look at his bloodied hands and shook his head. "They said down, that means there must be a cell in here somewhere."

A few minutes later, sweeping the floor and moving sacks and barrels, the user of Chakra found something that stood out in stone flooring. He uncovered a square door made out of thick wood with a single metal ring attached to it. "This has to be it."

Naruto pulled on the ring until he dislodged the creaking door. He took a last look around before he dropped into the square-shaped hole. Barely on the ground, he found who he came to free.

"Camilia..."

The tanned-skinned woman with healthy brown hair had her eyes blindfolded, but the sound of his voice snapped her head up. She sat on her knees with her arms pulled out in a pair of chains. Her hands looked fine, but everywhere else carried cuts and spots of dried blood. They were torture marks.

"Who's there?" Her dry, raspy voice sounded awful on the ears.

"It's me, Camilia. Bear with me; this is going to hurt."

"Naruto?" The Essos native winced when the metal shackles around her wrists yanked about, clanking against her tender wrists. She kissed her teeth until a relieved sigh broke free. Camilia used her free hand to pull the blindfold away. "Naruto!"

The assassin turned savior smiled at the battered woman. "You look like shit." It felt better to say than to hear.

Camilia couldn't help but laugh at Naruto's blunt take. "Please don't make me laugh. It hurts!" When Naruto freed her second hand, she flashed him a thankful smile.

Naruto nodded. "Come on, let's get you out of here."

The woman weapon maker tried to get up with no success. "I can't feel my legs." She whispered with a growing sense of worry bubbling up inside of her.

He quickly came over and put one of her arms around his shoulders. "Don't worry. It's only temporary."

Camilia allowed her friend and customer to support her. Reality finally caught up with the recently liberated woman. "Naruto, my brother! The Red Priestesses, they took him right out of the shop! Them and their sellswords!"

"Yes, Calvin told me. I'll work on getting Victus back next, but first, let's get you back home."

Quickly guiding her back to the still open hatch, Naruto took both himself and Camilia out of the lower floor with a single jump. Camilia winced, which Naruto apologized for as he walked her out of the kitchen area.

"You're quite skilled in the art of stealth. I almost didn't hear your escape. Would you kindly put my prisoner back? I still need her exceptional talents."

Naruto didn't recognize the man standing between them and the exit, but his friend did. "That's Seer Alonso, the Church of Starry Wisdom's leader!"

Alonso wore the same purple robes as his minions, but he had his hood down. The religious leader's lengthy black hair compared favorably with any woman; Naruto immediately linked it with the length of Cersei Lannister's hair. But what unsettled Naruto the most was his fake smile.

"It pleases me beyond belief that you think so highly of me, my dear."

Camilia scowled at the man behind her kidnapping. Baring her anger, she exploded in an outcry of emotion. "Fuck you, freak! I'd never think of you as anything but trash!"

Ignoring the offset smile on the Seer's face, Naruto looked at Camilia from the corner of his eye. "Can you move yet?"

Camilia put some weight on her legs, testing her balance with a tentative step. "I think so."

"Good, get to the side. I'm going to take care of this guy." Naruto released Camilia. Keeping his eyes on Alonso as Camilia slowly limped away, the blonde felt his fingers twitch. "Step out of the way, and I won't kill you."

"How fierce, and fearless too. I can give you a loving home here with my family. With your peerless skills, Camilia's excellent craftsmanship, and my planning, we will have complete control of Myr by month's end. Join me and change the world." Alonso extended his hand in Naruto's direction, both physically and metaphorically.

"My blade is my own to aim. No one controls me, least of all someone like you." Naruto snapped back, his arms and legs tensing in anticipation of what came next.

Alonso folded his hand into a fist. He studied Naruto with his head dipped and a perplexed frown. "I don't know what you mean. Someone like me? I only want what's best for Myr, I assure you."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the man, trying to decide if Alonso was lying or just delusional. "Bombings, bloodbaths in the streets, and chaos aren't what the people of Myr want. That's slaughter, not change."

The Seer smiled, shutting his eyes and extending his fraudulent smile. "They will be remembered for contributing to the rebirth of the new Myr. Won't you be a part of the new Myr with us, my friend?"

Naruto's frown intensified. "A new world isn't built on the bodies of its citizens." He heard enough to understand that this Seer wasn't quite right in the head.

He finally spoke something that made Alonso frown. "That's ironic coming from the mouth of an assassin, isn't it? The way of black and white is out of date in our new world."

The blonde assassin almost told Alonso that he had no connection to the Faceless Men, but held back at the last second. Let him think the men and women of the black and white opposed him. "Enough talk, Alonso."

"I agree..." Naruto took the first move. He unleashed a wave of dragon glass needles that he had stored on his back.

From the darknesses under Alonso's long sleeves, stars of inky blackness slammed into his needles. The shadow stars met the needles. The shadows scattered, but his needles shattered in the process. "How rude of you, butcher."

For the first time in a long time, Naruto was caught off guard by an adversary. "That... that was magic!"

"Correct," Alonso raised his hand, spinning a vortex of dark energy over his empty palm. The magic grew and grew until it went high enough to reach the Seer's face. "You should've joined me while you had the chance. Now you must fade."

Naruto had just enough time to launch himself to the side and avoid the cluster of black spikes that smashed down on his earlier position. He cast a wary glance at the black sludge of the floor before flicking a pair of kunai at Alonso.

Alonso lifted his hand in response. A black box developed in front of him, catching the two kunai. His box shook a few times before shrinking and crushing Naruto's weaponry with an audible crunch. "Oops, did I break your toys?"

'If he can't see me, he can't block my attacks.' He tried to jump into the air, but Alonso caught him by the ankle with a leash of darkness. Slinging Naruto to the ground, the Seer advanced toward his downed foe.

"Please don't run. You'll hurt my feelings." Each step the black-haired man took came with a shadow tendril reaching out and binding Naruto's limbs. The assassin tried struggling against his gradual subjugation, but he ended up in the same state as Camilia was when he found her.

"Naruto, get up!" Said woman couldn't help but voice her concerns upon seeing her friend forced onto his knees.

Alonso stopped his approach for a moment. The off-putting man shifted his worrying smile on Camilia. "Quiet, my dear. I'll be with you after I'm done with our friend here."

Naruto grit his teeth in frustration. Every time he fought against his restraints, they yanked him back in place. The end result left Naruto with a growl. 'This shit is stronger than it looks.'

"I didn't want to do this, but you left me with no choice." Naruto lifted his head and glared at Alonso. The man now stood over Naruto with a shadow-covered hand looming ominously. "But don't worry, I'll give you this last chance to join me."

He refused to give Alonso the satisfaction of an answer. His display of defiance only amused the magical Seer. "I'll take away your stubbornness. It's my job to open the eyes of those who do not understand."

Naruto watched as Alonso's hand neared the side of his head, the inky darkness getting closer to his skin. Goosebumps rose on Naruto's forearms from the sudden drop in temperature, but as a whole, he remained ready.

"Can I say one last thing?"

Alonso reacted with a courteous nod of his head. "I shall allow it."

"You underestimated me." Naruto's blue eyes fixed daggers into the man above him.

"How do you figure?"

A smirk that bared his pointed canines worked its way onto Naruto's whiskered face. "I can do more than just sneak around!" The familiar blue of his Chakra encircled the blonde man's body. Breaking free of his binds with a simple flex, Naruto sprang up and slammed his fist into the side of Alonso's shocked face.

The sound of Alonso's orbital socket breaking under the assassin's punch told the story of how hard he got punched. Knocked clean off his feet, the Seer fired backward with his right eye already swollen shut and bleeding. Naruto wasn't looking at him, however. His sights were on his own fist.

'That didn't feel... right?' He shook off those that thought as something for later. Right now, he needed his focus on getting Camilia back to safety.

"Ready to go?"

Camilia showed her disbelief clearly and honestly. "Only you would beat some magic tossing warlock!"

"If you don't have a trick up your sleeve, then you aren't a very good assassin, and a poor assassin is a dead one," Naruto explained in an attempt to play off his latest feat.

"If you say so. Before we go, I think you should take that creep's Valyrian Steel; he doesn't need it. I bet I could make something nice with it, just give me some time! He left it in his office if you're interested."

The allure and undeniable usefulness of Valyrian Steel was tempting.

Naruto went to ask where his office was, but Camilia beat him to it by pointing at the large, black door behind the altar that he dumped the bodies near. "Okay, I'll grab the spoils, then we can go."

**END**

* * *

**Writer's Note II:** Normally I tell my chapters in contained instances that link together in a larger way. This newest arc will be a three chapter stretch in Essos. These events will tie into what happens back in Westeros during the times detailed in the Ice & Fire books. So yes, what happens here does have lasting consequences.


End file.
